The Heart of Darkness
by Akane-Rei
Summary: An ancient evil is freed in Rockport, Maine, wreaking havoc in the already changing lives of the Quest Team.
1. Part One: Prologue: The Dawn of Awarenes...

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART ONE  
  
Prologue: The Dawn of Awareness  
  
" 'Do you understand this?' I asked . . . .  
  
'Do I not?' he said. "  
  
--Marlow and Kurtz in "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad  
  
"Where's Jess?" asked Jonny as he noticed his friend's absence from the dinner table.  
  
"I believe she went to the movies tonight, Jonny," replied his father, Dr. Benton Quest.  
  
"Hey!" exclaimed Jonny. "Why didn't she take me and Hadji with her?"  
  
Race Bannon, Jessie's father and the Quests' long time friend and bodyguard coughed discreetly. "I don't think she would appreciate chaperones at this moment," he said.  
  
"Huh?" said Jonny and Hadji, Dr. Quest's adopted son.  
  
"He means," said Dr. Quest, "that Jessie is out on a date tonight."  
  
Race started choking.  
  
Benton couldn't help but add, "She and Michael probably wanted to be alone."  
  
Race was gagging.  
  
Benton snickered. It was so easy to bait Race sometimes. "Come on, Race," he cajoled. "You know it was bound to happen sometime . . ."  
  
"Yeah," retorted Race, " like when she's 30!"  
  
Meanwhile, Jonny was still trying to process the fact that Jessie was in a date with someone. Jessie was out there somewhere with some other guy besides him or Hadji. It was just too . . . too . . .  
  
"Weird," he said out loud.  
  
"What was that Jonny?" asked Hadji, talking for the first time.  
  
Jonny looked at his friend. "I'll tell you later," he said.  
  
All through dinner he brooded. For the past month, he had been in a somewhat constant state of confusion. Ever since Jessie arrived from Paris with her mother, in fact.  
  
******************************  
  
**FLASHBACK**  
  
Jonny was in the airport with his father, Race and Hadji, waiting for Jess to arrive with Estella from Paris. Although he was surprised to admit it, he missed Jessie's company. Despite their constant bickering, he and Jessie manage to spend most of their time in relative harmony either in Quest World or running around some exotic location his father happens to take them. He knows no one else who could match his curiosity or sense of adventure. Sure Hadji was one of his best friends, but there times when he couldn't understand half the things that come off Hadji's mouth. Besides, Hadji was so composed. No fun to tease at all.  
  
Thinking of his partner in crime, Jonny smiled. He was looking forward to another chance to play Warrior's Legacy with Jessie on Quest World. He had been practicing this past week especially after his humiliating defeat the last time they played.  
  
Jessie had loved that. Hadji had laughed and he, Jonny Quest, demanded a rematch.  
  
He remembered Jessie shaking her head in reply and saying, "Not till you get better at it, hot shot!"  
  
Well, Jonny thought, he's better at it. Now he's looking forward to the rematch.  
  
He tapped his foot impatiently while he watched the gate waiting for Jessie to appear.  
  
And when she did, he didn't even recognize her.  
  
He was watching the people who were exiting the gate in search of their loved ones when he noticed a woman -- perhaps around his age -- searching the crowd.  
  
Wow, he thought. She's beautiful. She was, from head to toe, the epitome of the chic Parisienne. Her fashionable and sexy white dress both covered and revealed just enough to drive an unsuspecting spectator's imagination wild. From her white sandal, which emphasized her dainty feet, to her white chapeau, which covered the top of her titian hair, she was every inch a .  
  
Titian hair?  
  
Jonny noticed the woman approach them for the first time and noticed the color of her eyes. They were striking green. He only knew of one person with those eyes.  
  
Jessie? he thought. Jessie???!!!  
  
Yes, it was Jess. She walked over to their direction and proceeded to give her father a hug.  
  
"Ponchita?" he said hesitatingly. He looked behind Jessie and saw his ex-wife.  
  
"I took Jessie shopping in Paris," said Estella.  
  
Race looked back at Jessie, who gave him a grin.  
  
"Don't worry, dad," she said. " I still have all my old stuff, too. I'm still the same Ponchita you know and love."  
  
"With a few minor adjustments," said Benton.  
  
"Ofcourse," said Estella. She smiled conspiringly at Benton. "It had to happen sometime, Race," she said slyly.  
  
Race still had a dazed look on his face.  
  
Hadji was the first one -- besides his dad -- to finally think clearly.  
  
"Perhaps, my friend," Jonny heard him whisper to him, "it is a good time to close your mouth."  
  
Jonny quickly shut his jaw, which apparently dropped without his notice. He mentally shook himself.  
  
"Geez, Jess," he began, "you look . . . different."  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.  
  
"N . . . nothing, nothing," replied Jonny.  
  
Jessie smiled and crooked her finger towards him. "Oh Jonny," she said sweetly.  
  
"W . . .what?" Jonny asked nervously. Jess's being sweet to him usually strikes fear in his heart. This was no different.  
  
"Jonny," she said softly, her hands brushing off imaginary lint from his shirt. "Despite all the difference you noticed . . . " she continued.  
  
My son's a dead man, thought Dr. Quest.  
  
He's in trouble, thought Hadji.  
  
I can't look, thought Race.  
  
Jonny sweated.  
  
"I CAN STILL KICK YOUR BUTT IN QUESTWORLD!!!!" shouted Jessie as she shoved Jonny.  
  
Everyone laughed except for Jonny.  
  
Jonny sighed with relief. Same old Jess, he thought.  
  
*****************************  
  
Jessie's new look did not go unnoticed in Rockport High. According to Eliza, one of Jessie's few female friends, Jess has been asked out in almost every class she was in from the day she got back. The rest of the week followed the same pattern. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel irritated at this new development. The fact that he and Jessie had vehemently denied any romantic interest in each other for the past couple of years and the fact that he went to a party with a certain Jeanette Keller a couple of weeks ago made Jess seem even more . . . free of commitments.  
  
Jonny slammed his locker and brooded on his way to class. He didn't understand the unreasonable anger he felt whenever he sees Jess talking -- worse, laughing -- with some other guy.  
  
Not that Jessie ever encouraged them. She still acted her normal, tomboy self everyday. She's still nice and sweet when she has to be and blunt and straightforward more often than not.  
  
"--nny? Jonny!" a voice interrupted his reverie.  
  
He looked up and saw Jeanette Keller's blue eyes staring at him with concern.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked.  
  
Jonny sighed. "Yeah, " he muttered.  
  
Jeanette giggled. "You looked angry there for a second," she said while her fingers twirled a curl in her blond hair.  
  
"Nah," lied Jonny. "Just thinking."  
  
Jeanette smiled. "Listen, Jonny," she began, "wanna go grab something to eat after school or something?"  
  
Jonny wracked his brain for a reason -- okay, to be honest, an excuse --not to go. Ever since he took her to that party, Jeanette has been attaching herself to him like crazy. They had even earned a reputation around campus for being a couple, and Jonny, more than anyone, knows the utter ridiculousness of the title. The only time they ever went out was at that party.  
  
"I can't go," Jonny answered. "I'm supposed to drive Jess to the mall after school today. She's looking for a birthday present for her mother." Jonny could have kissed Jessie right about now. His reason for not going with Jeanette was actually true. He did have to take Jessie to the mall. Ofcourse, Hadji could always do it . . . by why wreck a good plan?  
  
He felt more than saw Jeanette tense up next to him.  
  
That was when he saw Jessie round up a corner and walk towards him.  
  
"Jessie!" he exclaimed happily.  
  
"Jonny," she said. "Just the person I was looking for."  
  
Jonny brightened.  
  
"Listen," she said, "you don't have to drop me off the mall today. Eliza's going too so we decided to go together. Tell dad not to expect me for dinner, okay?"  
  
"Uh . . . sure, Jess," replied Jonny, deflated.  
  
"Thanks," said Jessie who noticed Jeanette, holding Jonny's arm possessively. "Well, I gotta get to class. Bye!"  
  
"Bye," Jonny said to her retreating figure.  
  
"Well," said Jeanette.  
  
Jonny turned to her and saw an expectant look on her face.  
  
"Well," Jonny said, totally clueless. "Um. . . I guess I better get to class, too. See ya around," he said.  
  
******************************  
  
Jeanette Keller pouted. She is not used to being denied what she wants. In fact, she couldn't remember a time when such a thing happened. all that changed when she met Jonny Quest.  
  
When she moved to Rockport High during her junior year, she had set goals for herself: number one, to be the most popular girl in school. Number two, be the captain of the cheerleading squad and number three, obtain a rich and handsome boyfriend. Number two is in the bag. Number one is self-evident. It's number three that's proving to be elusive. Jonny Quest is the most sought after guy in school. Although his wealth is part of that, there is also the added factor of his all-American good looks. All in all, Jonny Quest fit category number three quite perfectly.  
  
Except for the fact that he refuses to cooperate. She thought she had him when they went to that party some time ago. It had felt so good to see the envious looks her girlfriends cast her way when she walked into the party with Jonny. She wanted that feeling to last.  
  
But it didn't. By the end of the party, she almost forgot that wonderful feeling. And the person that almost made her forget was the very same one who caused it in the first place: Jonny Quest. He was the perfect gentleman all evening. That was the problem. He acted like a perfect gentleman who missed his girlfriend. For the better part of the night, he kept going on and on on how much he missed Jessie and how they used to do this and that. It drove her nuts.  
  
She didn't know whether he was being deliberately rude or whether he was just plain stupid.  
  
Finally, out of frustration, she gave in to her need to lash out at him. It happened while they were on their way back to her house. The drive had started out peaceful enough, but then Jonny began one of his adventure stories starring him and Jessie. Jeanette had wanted to scream.  
  
Instead, she interrupted him and said quite snidely, "You know, Jonny, it's not exactly good dating etiquette to talk about your old girlfriend on your date with your new one."  
  
For a brief moment, she thought those were the last words she'll ever say in her life because Jonny -- in his shock, perhaps? -- momentarily lost control of the wheel and the car dangerously veered towards the cliff. Fortunately for both of them, he regained his equilibrium and they were back safely in the road in a matter of seconds.  
  
Jonny looked at her then and then stared back at the road, blushing and looking very sheepish.  
  
"Jessie's not . . ." he began. "You're not --" he tried again. Finally, he said, " I'm sorry."  
  
Jeanette decided to milk this for all its worth.  
  
"You should be," she said. "What kind of date are you anyway?"  
  
Jonny parked his car in front of her driveway.  
  
"You're right," he said. "I'm not really good company. You deserve better." He looked at her with those big, blue eyes of his. "I hope you find someone who can make you happy."  
  
WHAT!! she thought. He's letting me go just like that? No one, but no one dumps Jeanette Keller. Who does this jerk think he is ?  
  
With a huff, she got off the car and went straight home, fully intending to forget Jonny Quest ever existed.  
  
But the next day in school, her friends started gushing and saying how lucky she was to be dating Jonny. And there was that feeling again.  
  
She had no choice. She did what she had to do. She attached herself to him like a vine.  
  
No one was more surprised than Jonny when she came up to him that day and gave him a hug and a peck in the cheek. Jeanette could read the confusion evident in his eyes. But she always gets what she wants so she easily bulldozed him into having lunch with her in the school cafeteria in front of everyone in school. And so it went on that way. Whenever she and Jonny Quest were in the same room together, Jeanette clung to Jonny with all her might.  
  
Soon they were known as a couple. Jeanette knows more than anyone how laughable that label was. Jonny has not been with her outside of school except for that one fateful disappointing night. But she didn't' mind. Much. As long as everyone bought the image, she's fine. Jonny is too nice a guy to publicly call her a liar and too nice a guy to deliberately 'hurt' her by ignoring her overtures. He puts up with them, tolerates them. That's fine by Jeanette. Eventually, however, she really should push this 'relationship' into a more two-sided one. All she needs is time.  
  
Ofcourse, there is the Jessie Bannon complication. Jeanette didn't' know how it happened, but after Jessie's week long absence, she suddenly became one of Rockport High's most sought after juniors. Sure, she looks a little different, but she's still a tomboy at heart. Jeanette could not see what the attraction was.  
  
It doesn't' matter, she thought. Jonny Quest is mine.  
  
*******************************  
  
Hadji Singh approached the blue van in the school parking lot. It seems that he is the first to arrive here and he resolved to patiently wait for the coming of his two closest friends: Jessie and Jonny. He opened the van and sat on the driver's side. Due to an over developed sense of self preservation, he very much preferred driving the van himself rather than allowing Jonny to do the honors. He enjoyed life and intended to live much longer than that of his seventeen years. Therefore, he thought it prudent to reduce the number of time Jonny is behind the wheel.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the familiar mop of blond hair that belonged to his friend. As Jonny got closer and closer, Hadji could see the troubled expression in his friend's face. Unlike Jonny, however, Hadji knew exactly what was bothering his friend. It was the same thing that's been eating Hadji for the past month: Jessie Bannon and the newly emerging feelings she brings out of them.  
  
Ah, Jessie, Hadji thought.  
  
He remembered the slight crush she had on him a year or two ago. He did not notice it at first until his mother pointed it out to him. He had been embarrassed, ofcourse. Jessie had been like a sister to him. And that is exactly what he told her in that conservatory in his palace at Bangalore.  
  
He remembered her hurt expression and her tentative attempt to restore their relationship to its former ground. It had been awkward, but they had succeeded. Their friendship was as strong as ever.  
  
Now Hadji finds himself in a quandary. His feelings, without his noticing, have slowly developed into something more than friendship. No one was more surprised at this conclusion than Hadji himself. It had taken countless of meditations for him to finally admit to himself that his feelings were real.  
  
Hadji watched at Jonny got inside the car and put on his seatbelt.  
  
"Jessie's going to the mall with Eliza, " Jonny said. "We can go home now."  
  
Hadji looked at his disgruntled friend for a second then started the van.  
  
Jonny must fight his own demons, he thought.  
  
In the back of his mind, Hadji wondered what will happen to his relationship with Jonny should Jonny realize that both he and Hadji are attracted to their best friend.  
  
Perhaps this is what one would call a situation, he thought. For all his brilliance in the area of Physics, Hadji can be -- what was Jessie's word? -- clueless, yes, that was it. He can be totally clueless when it comes to women and physical attraction. His disastrous, if somewhat short- lived, relationships with Anaya and Elise proved that. Hadji mentally kicked himself whenever he thought of those women and his gullibility.  
  
Anaya and Elise had a lot in common. Despite their being incredibly beautiful, they also had homicidal tendencies towards him and the Quest Team. Hadji winced. To say that his luck with women is bad is the same as saying that the ocean is a little wet.  
  
For some reason, the women he became attracted to are eventually the ones that turn out to be dangerous to his health and of those around him. People who don't know him might say he had a death wish.  
  
Hadji did not blame them.  
  
******************************  
  
Race Bannon shook his head. He couldn't get over the change in his daughter's wardrobe since she got home from Paris. From now on, whenever he looked at his daughter, he was reminded of the fact that she was growing up. He had to admit, with some degree of pride, that his daughter was gorgeous. Not that she wasn't beautiful before. It's just that her old wardrobe didn't announce to the whole world that she was beautiful. They were worn mostly for their practicality and degree of comfort. Knowing what kind of scrapes she and Jonny managed to find, he was thankful that his daughter had the sense to dress appropriately.  
  
Now, he did a double take whenever he saw Jessie. Her clothes . . . well let's just say that it shouted "member of the female sex" to anyone who saw it. Not that it was vulgar or coarse. On the contrary, Estella and Jessie had too much elegance and sense of style to ever dress coarsely. It's nothing overt really. It's more of a combination of subtle touches that made the effect of Jessie's clothes devastating.  
  
Race sighed. Until now, he had been treating his daughter like most stereotypical fathers treat their sons. Sure, he was a tad over protective, but Jessie, Jonny, Hadji, and sometimes even Benton can usually reel him in before he goes over board. Now is a different story. Now, he's going through what most fathers go through when they realize that their little girl is growing up and is happen to be gifted with attributes which attract the opposite sex in droves.  
  
He took a deep breath and stared at the view from the balcony. A sound penetrated his thoughts and he looked down to see the blue van cruising along the long driveway of the Quest Compound.  
  
"They're home," said a voice behind him.  
  
Race turned around and looked at his friend, Benton.  
  
"Yep, " he replied.  
  
********************************  
  
Dr. Benton Quest looked at his long time friend. He knew what was bothering Race and can sympathize, if not empathize. Jessie was like the daughter he never had. She, even more so than Jonny at times, has an appreciation for his work that stems from a deeper understanding of concepts which very few people can grasp.  
  
He sighed. There were times, not often mind you, but enough, when Jonny -- with his love for adventure and risk taking -- seem more and more like Race's son than his while Jessie -- with her overtly rational nature -- seem more and more his daughter than Race's. While this situation could have strained the friendship that existed between him and Race, the opposite happened. The 'situation' only served to strengthen the ties that bound his little group. they were known as the Quest Team in many parts of the world. He hoped Race and Jessie didn't mind, but in truth, they are more than a team. They were a family.  
  
He had always hoped that the future would bring about a more permanent connection between the Quests and the Bannons. However, it seems the future might be more imminent than the thought. He noticed the way both his sons have looked at Jessie this past week when they thought he was oblivious to all but his work. He sighed again. Sometimes he wished that he truly were the absent-minded professor whom everyone thought he was.  
  
He watched from the balcony as Hadji and Jonny got out of the van and headed towards the front door.  
  
"Where's Jess?" asked Race to no one in particular, but looking worried nonetheless.  
  
"Race --" Benton started, but Race was already on his way downstairs. Benton sighed yet again and followed him downstairs.  
  
"Jonny, Hadji," called Race as he ran down the stairs, "where's Jessie?"  
  
"Oh, she decided to go to the mall with her friend, Eliza," replied Jonny. "She's looking for a gift for Estella's birthday."  
  
Race visibly relaxed. "Okay," he said. " Did she say what time she was coming home?"  
  
"She says not to hold dinner for her," answered Jonny. " I think she and Eliza will probably grab something to eat after their shopping."  
  
Race began to tense up all over again when Benton said, "I'm sure she'll be fine, Race."  
  
Race turned to him. "I . . . know. I just --" he stopped, unable to think of a rational thing to say.  
  
"Well, " said Jonny, "Hadji and I are heading towards the lighthouse, okay?"  
  
"Alright, son," replied Benton. "Be back by dinner time."  
  
"Okay," yelled the two as they headed off.  
  
Benton looked at his friend. Without a word, they both headed for the library where Race sat down and buried his head in his hands.  
  
"I'm going crazy, Benton," he said. "I feel like I need to see her every minute of the day to keep her safe. The world is full of psychos, you know. Whenever she's not around, I worry like you wouldn't believe."  
  
"Race, Race, Race," said Benton. "You're just being a typical father who happens to have a very beautiful daughter. I'm pretty sure it's normal to feel this way."  
  
"You don't understand," Race replied. "Whenever we're out and I see some guy looking at her, I want to beat him to a bloody pulp! I feel like I always have to be there to protect her from the creeps." He held up his hands. " I know what you're going to say. You're going to say I'm over reacting. But dammit! Benton, I was her age once and I know how guys her age think."  
  
Uh-oh, thought Benton. He wondered if Race noticed his two sons' preoccupation towards a certain red-head.  
  
"Race, listen to me," he said. "You have to control these tendencies and put them at a moderate level. Jessie would definitely not appreciate being babied. You know how competitive she is with Jonny. You're not exactly going to be her favorite person if she notices your coddling her like a two year old."  
  
"Benton, right now, I wish she was back to being a two year old."  
  
Benton laughed. "Come on, Race. You and I both know that Jessie can take care of herself. Didn't you and Estella insist on her taking self- defense and martial arts classes so that she can have the ability to take care of herself in tough situations?"  
  
Race reluctantly nodded. "And she did excel in them," he muttered.  
  
Benton grinned. " Knowing Jessie," he said, " she would."  
  
Race stood up. "Well, Benton. Thanks for the talk. right now, I think I'll check that new security system I added to the compound."  
  
Benton nodded and watched his friend leave.  
  
"He'll be fine," he said to himself as he walked towards his lap top and worked on his new project.  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
Hadji Singh sighed ( a lot of them had been doing that a lot lately ) and looked at his dinner companions. Jessie's absence and the reason for that absence was truly felt. There were subtle changes  
  
going on under the surface of everyone's normality and it all had to do with a certain flame-haired friend who is out on a date tonight.  
  
Not wishing to rock the boat further, he introduced a new topic. "So," he said. "Is everything ready for Estella's surprise birthday party?" he asked.  
  
Everybody started talking at once, and for a while, everything was back to normal.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Revised: December 29, 2001 


	2. Part Two: Evil In the Midst

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART TWO  
  
Evil in the Midst  
  
"How many powers of darkness claimed him for their own?"  
  
--Marlow from "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad  
  
**FLASHBACK . . . to a different time and a very different world . . .**  
  
Who the hell did they think they are? he thought as we was unceremoniously forced to kneel before them. The unseen chains that bound his hands to his back chafed him to the very essence of his being. The utter powerlessness subjected to him grated his very soul. Slowly, he lifted his bowed head and glared hatefully at the Council of Guardians.  
  
"You have no right to do this to me!" he spat.  
  
The Council stared at him, through him actually.  
  
This angered him even more. Their calmness and serenity at this moment -- HIS moment of disgrace -- enraged him more than anything else at that time.  
  
Ingrates! he thought. After all I did for them!  
  
Then the Council spoke as one.  
  
"For your crimes against nature," said the disembodied, but unified, voices, "you are banished from your home world . . ."  
  
THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!! he mentally screamed.  
  
The Council winced at sheer volume of his thoughts but continued, "Sentenced to forever be trapped in a carbon cylinder . . ."  
  
He felt the cold brush of air coming from below and above him. The cold surrounded him, enveloping his being, embracing his essence, solidifying all around him.  
  
"All the while retaining your full consciousness . . ."  
  
It's not enough that they banish me, he thought. Oh no. That would be too easy. They want me to be aware of my suffering, too! AHHHRG!  
  
"Your cylinder will be ejected from our galaxy and hurled as far away as possible . . ."  
  
Sentenced to a life of nothingness, he thought.  
  
He felt his cylinder shift.  
  
"This is the judgment of the Guardians . . ."  
  
He felt his cylinder rise, taking him. He wanted to shout and curse and rail at the Guardians, the circumstances, and the Fates that contributed to his destiny, but he couldn't. His cylinder has rendered him immobile.  
  
"Execution of sentence will take place in five counts . . ."  
  
All he could do is stare down at those responsible for his predicament.  
  
"Five . . ."  
  
He can feel his rage overtake him . . .  
  
"Four . . ."  
  
He can feel his heart dying . . .  
  
"Three . . ."  
  
He can feel his soul shriveling . . .  
  
"Two . . ."  
  
His desire for revenge growing . . .  
  
"One . . ."  
  
His hate intensifying . . .  
  
"Execute."  
  
His aura darkening . . .  
  
The cylinder shoots up to the heavens towards an unknown destination.  
  
He watched as he hurled through space. Time passed and still he watched, unable to do anything else. He watched as he passed through solar systems, crashed through meteors. He watched when there was nothing to watch buy empty space. He watched everything, but not once saw anything. He watched unseeingly as stars formed and collapsed. He watched as blackholes are born and comets make their rounds. He watched as his cylinder scrape the side of a moon and crashed into a planet. That was when he started to see.  
  
He was pretty sure that this planet was fairly young. In fact, from the looks of it, uninhabited. He noticed the inordinate amount of sulfur present and felt several seismic activities. He was making a more detailed study of his environment when he noticed it. Had he not been a part of his cylinder for so long, he might have missed it. He concentrated and felt for it again.  
  
Ah, he thought. There it is.  
  
His cylinder was gradually weakening. It may take millions, even billions, of years before it weakened enough for him to escape, but it was there and the carbon cylinder was definitely continuing to decay.  
  
So much for eternity, he thought.  
  
For the first time in nearly fifty million years, he smiled.  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
MAINE, USA  
  
PRESENT DAY  
  
"So what's the plan?" asked Jonny. He was sitting in his bed, Indian style, looking down at both Jessie and Hadji, who were occupying the floor space in his room. Jess was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling with both arms behind her head. Her jean clad legs were propped up with her feet facing the door. At the sound of his question, she flipped to her stomach and faced him.  
  
She raised her elbows up and replied, "Well, dad is supposed to take mom out to an early dinner for her birthday in order to get her out of the house. While they're having dinner, we'll be letting all the guests inside the house and basically getting ready for her to arrive."  
  
"It was really fortunate that your mom had a week off from her dig in Peru, Jessie," said Hadji. "And on her birthday, too, no less." Hadji was in his usual meditating stance, though Jonny doubted his friend was meditating at this time . . . but then, with Hadji, you never knew. He shook his head.  
  
"I'd say it was lucky," he said. "We rarely get to see your mom anymore."  
  
Jessie smiled a secret smile to herself.  
  
Jonny saw it.  
  
"What was that?" he demanded.  
  
Jessie looked at him innocently. "What was what, Jonny?" she asked, making a good impression of being perplexed.  
  
"That," said Jonny pointing to her face.  
  
By this time, Hadji was staring, too. "I, too, saw that, Jessie," he said. "You are keeping something from us."  
  
Jessie grinned at her friends as she slowly rose to a sitting position. "Really, you guys, I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
She got up on her knees and stared at her friends.  
  
She was out of the door before Jonny finished saying, "Let's get her, Hadji!"  
  
"Why that little --" said Jonny as he and Hadji chased after her.  
  
"She always fast, our Jessie," said Hadji while running.  
  
They saw a flash of red hair disappear through the front door and they followed, hot on her heels. Before going out, though, Jonny -- in a rare moment of brilliance -- grabbed a hoverboard and signaled Hadji to do the same. With a few more hand signals, Hadji nodded and moved to intercept Jess from the front with his hoverboard, leaving Jonny to cover her back.  
  
Jonny saw Jessie look ahead and see Hadji.  
  
Here's my chance, he thought. He quickly came up behind her and snatched her into the air.  
  
"Hey!" she exclaimed. "No fair ganging up on me in your hoverboards!"  
  
Jonny and Hadji laughed as they got off their hoverboards.  
  
"All's fair in love and war, Jess," said Jonny, looking down at her mop of red hair.  
  
Jessie squirmed. "Oh yeah?" she challenged. "So where's your army, hot shot?"  
  
"Will the Bangalore cavalry do?" asked Hadji as he approached the two.  
  
Jessie looked at Hadji and said indignantly, "I can't believe you're siding with him on this, Hadji!"  
  
"Jessie," said Hadji reprovingly. " I am not siding with anyone. I am merely here to satisfy a curiosity. The fact that Jonny happens to share my curiosity is nothing more than a happy coincidence."  
  
Although Jessie's face was turned from Jonny due to their current position, Jonny felt sure that Jessie was at this moment glaring at Hadji. Then all of a sudden, he felt her relax from his grip. Thinking she finally gave up trying to get away, Jonny slowly loosened his hold on her . . . and promptly found himself on his back, staring at the sky while trying to catch his breath. Then he saw Jessie stare down at him, concern written on her face.  
  
"Jonny, are you okay?" she asked.  
  
Then he saw Hadji's face. "My friend," he said, "how many fingers am I holding?" He presented him with three.  
  
Jonny closed his eyes and said, "What happened?"  
  
Silence.  
  
Finally, "Uh . . ." said Jessie, "I happened."  
  
Jonny slowly sat up and looked at her. " Run that by me again, " he demanded.  
  
"Well,yousee,youweregrabbingmefrombehindandIwasn'tstrongenoughtobreakyourgri psoIflippedyouonlyIdidittoohardand," she stopped to breathe.  
  
Jonny held up both his hands in front of her face. "You flipped me," Jonny said slowly. "Okay. I think." He finally caught his breath.  
  
Jessie nudged her hand to his cheek. "You sure you're okay?" she asked softly.  
  
Jonny reached for her hand and held it against his face. "Yeah, I'm okay," he said staring at her green eyes.  
  
They were like that for awhile when Jessie broke contact and stood up.  
  
"Good, " she said. "I'll go back to the house then."  
  
She left.  
  
Dazed, Jonny stood up and stared after her.  
  
"What just happened?" he asked to no one in particular.  
  
"Perhaps it is time to go back now, my friend," said Hadji quietly.  
  
Jonny only nodded and the two friends started to walk home, each alone in their thoughts.  
  
******************************  
  
Hadji groaned inwardly as he walked home with Jonny. He didn't know that it was going to affect him this much. He had no idea it was going to affect him this much. When he saw Jonny and Jessie and the mutual awareness that sprang between the two, Hadji though someone had stabbed him with a knife and twisted, the pain was so great. In fact, he had taken a few steps backward in response to the painful picture they both made.  
  
These reactions must stop, he thought to himself. They are your friends. If they wish to be together, then you should wish for their own happiness.  
  
*What about you, Hadji?* a voice inside him asked. *Do you not deserve happiness as well?*  
  
Hadji stood still and closed his eyes, trying to block the inner voice.  
  
"Hadji?" he heard Jonny's voice.  
  
Hadji opened his eyes. "I will be back in a while, Jonny," he said. "I think I will take a walk on the beach for a while."  
  
Jonny shrugged his shoulders and said, "Okay." He ran to the house.  
  
Alone, Hadji headed towards the shore and proceeded to wage an internal battle against himself.  
  
*********************************  
  
In an uncharted cavern in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, an ancient being breaks free of his prison and heads to the nearest shore.  
  
**********************************  
  
"I am happy for you," Hadji practiced. He made a face and tried again. "I am happy for you, my friends."  
  
He bowed his head. He was practicing for a time when he will have to say those words to Jessie and Jonny. He knew it was only a matter of time before those two got together.  
  
"I am happy for you both," he tried again.  
  
*Liar* said his inner voice.  
  
Hadji ignored it.  
  
*You are such a liar, Singh*  
  
He tried to remember the look on Jessie's face during that interlude with Jonny.  
  
This is what Jessie wants, he thought.  
  
*Do you not remember?* his inner voice asked. *She used to want you . . . you . . . you . . . not Jonny . . . you . . .*  
  
Hadji shut his eyes, but images of Bangalore, of Jessie, of a scene in a conservatory, appeared in his mind.  
  
**FLASHBACK**  
  
His palace in Bangalore . . . in the conservatory  
  
---"I love you, too, Jessie," he had said.  
  
He saw her eyes flash with happiness.  
  
"But only as a sister," he continued.  
  
He saw the sparkle leave her eyes and the hurt take its place. He saw her gulp as she struggled to say something, anything, and then finally give up.  
  
The silence lasted an eternity for him.  
  
Finally, she took a deep breath and smiled tremulously at him.  
  
"We'll . . ." she began, "we'll always be friends, won't we, Hadji?" she asked softly.  
  
He looked at her tenderly and said, "Always," in an equally soft voice.  
  
"Thanks," she whispered and hurriedly left the room.  
  
He had wanted to follow her and comfort her, but knew that she needed to be alone at that time. So instead, he walked out into the huge palace balcony and stared at the stars.  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
*You blew it*  
  
*Boy, you sure know how to burn your bridges, Hadji*  
  
*The greatest thing that you could have had was handed to you in a silver platter and you threw it away*  
  
"Shut up!" Hadji shouted. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"  
  
He was breathing heavily.  
  
*You are such a Johnny-come-lately*  
  
*Or should we say Hadji-came-lately?*  
  
Hadji stared unseeingly in his hands until he felt their wetness. He tried to clear his vision by blinking his eyes when he noticed that they, too, were wet.  
  
Tears, he thought. "This is not good," he said to himself. "It would not do at all for your friends to see you in this state."  
  
He breathed deeply and struggled to regain the serenity which he was known for. He didn't know how long he stood there, but when he opened his eyes, it was already dark.  
  
He closed his eyes again in an effort to solidify that feeling of peace when something nagged at the edge of his consciousness. He opened his eyes and observed his surroundings, trying to pin point the origin of that feeling. His eyes finally settled in the ocean.  
  
There's something there, he thought. Something not quite right.  
  
He concentrated his energies on finding the source when, as suddenly as it appeared, the nagging feeling of wrongness disappeared.  
  
Frustrated, he stared at the ocean a little longer before heading back to the house. He was determined to tell Dr. Quest of this phenomena because despite the fact that the wrongness disappeared, a feeling of deep foreboding had replaced it.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Revised December 29, 2001 


	3. Part Three: A Matter of Temptation

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART THREE  
  
A Matter of Temptation  
  
"The snake had charmed me."  
  
Marlow from "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad  
  
Jessie was quiet as she ate her dinner that night at the Quest Compound. In actuality, everyone was silent throughout the meal with the exceptions of Dr. Quest and her father.  
  
Thank god for fathers, she thought. Otherwise, the silenced would have oppressed her.  
  
Dinner was late this evening due to a series of circumstances, most of which involving Hadji. First of all, Hadji was late coming home and they decided to hold dinner and wait for him to arrive. When he did arrive, looking a great deal more disheveled than when she last saw him, he went straight to Dr. Quest and the two had a long talk in the library. After which they, along with her dad, checked every security system installed on the Quest Compound. Given the size of the compound and the indecent amount of security systems her father added over the years, this task was no small feat.  
  
When asked by both her and Jonny what was going on, her dad shrugged and said, "Apparently nothing."  
  
She had looked at him for a second longer before deciding not to pursue the matter all together. She had problems of her own and one of them happens to be Jonny Quest. Barring the incident at the grounds today, Jonny had been a little . . . different since she got back from Paris. At first he had been distant. She blamed that on the fact that he now had a girlfriend.  
  
She had to admit that that, more than anything else, had been a shock. Okay, to be truthful, it wasn't the fact that he had a girlfriend that shocked her. No, what really surprised her -- and maybe hurt? No. No, ofcourse not -- was the fact that Jonny didn't tell her anything about it. They were each other's best friends. She had thought they had told each other everything.  
  
Apparently not.  
  
However, Jessie eventually got used to Jonny's being a little distant at times. Sort of. After all, they still did the same stuff they always do. In other words, she can still pound him in Quest World. Although there are those occasions when he got lucky.  
  
Jessie sighed and looked at her dinner companions once again. Her dad and Dr. Quest were still discussing some minor adjustments, i.e. upgrading, they wanted to try out for security purposes. Jonny and Hadji, like her, were still as silent as ever.  
  
She thought back to this afternoon's encounter with Jonny and cringed. Something happened between them on the grounds of the Quest Compound today, but Jessie will be damned before she does anything about it. there is absolutely no way she's going to do anything to jeopardize her friendships ever again. Her experience with Hadji, if anything, taught her that any romantic interests between friends should be outlawed if one wanted to retain the friendship. In her and Hadji's case, she got lucky. With a lot of work and effort on both their parts, they were able to put the whole incident behind them and build an even stronger friendship between them as a result.  
  
But it had been hard. Harder than anything she'd ever had to do in her entire life. However, whether it was an academic challenge or a game between her and Jonny, Jessie had been determined to succeed. She did everything she could think of -- including acting like her normal self -- to erase the look of pity in Hadji's eyes. And in this endeavor, she had also succeeded. She remembered the relief she felt and the joy as ever so slowly, the awkwardness between her and Hadji faded into nothingness.  
  
Jessie looked at Hadji from her position at the dinner table. As if in response, he raised his head and met her gaze. Jessie smiled impishly at him then continued on with her supper. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hadji look at her curiously and she smirked.  
  
Men, she thought. Every expression had to be explained for them to understand anything. Even when the expression means absolutely nothing.  
  
She glanced around the table and noticed that Jonny was already staring at her. She quickly looked down on her plate to avoid further eye contact.  
  
Dammit, she thought. She really needed to do something about the situation. Actually, she needed to do something to avoid a situation.  
  
Still . . .  
  
She remembered the rush of warm she felt when she touched his cheek and he her hand.  
  
*NO. No, no, no, no. Absolutely not gonna happen again*  
  
She remembered the way his blue eyes looked when they stared at each other.  
  
*Snap out of it, Bannon! Remember Hadji?*  
  
But Hadji never looked at me the way Jonny did, she thought.  
  
*Romance can ruin a friendship*  
  
What if it's mutual?  
  
*What if you break up*  
  
What if we don't?  
  
*Think of your girlfriends . . . how many of them has had so much as a relationship that lasted longer than six months?*  
  
What about Eliza and David.  
  
*They are one couple in how many relationships . . .?*  
  
Innumerable, Jessie thought regretfully.  
  
But what's to say that Jonny and I will break up?  
  
*What about your parents?*  
  
*Estella and Race*  
  
...  
  
*Divorce*  
  
...  
  
*Remember how much everyone says that you remind them of your mother?*  
  
*Doesn't Jonny remind you of your father?*  
  
*Divorce*  
  
...  
  
That was low, she thought. That was very, very low.  
  
*That, my dear, was truth*  
  
Jessie unconsciously clenched her hand. She stared at her plate, her appetite gone.  
  
"-ess? Ponchita?!" a voice interrupted.  
  
Jessie looked up to her father in response. She tried to say something, but she couldn't. There was something in her throat . . .  
  
"Are you okay, Ponchita?" her dad asked, concerned.  
  
She looked around the table and noticed everyone staring at her, waiting for her to respond. If only she could get rid of this lump in her throat, but she couldn't so she did the next best thing. She nodded in response.  
  
"Are you sure, Ponchita?" probed her dad further. "You looked madder than a hornet there for a second."  
  
Why won't this stupid lump disappear? She felt an ache in her chest.  
  
Dammit! she thought. Go away.  
  
She took a deep breath. Control, Bannon, achieve control.  
  
*Suck it in, Bannon!*  
  
She swallowed.  
  
"I'm fine, dad," she said. "My mind was just elsewhere."  
  
Her father looked like he wanted to disagree, but for some reason or another, decided not to pursue the matter.  
  
Jessie sighed with relief and thanked whoever was up there for her reprieve.  
  
Again, she stared at her plate. From beneath her lashes, she took a peek at Jonny's direction. He was busy finishing his meal.  
  
So what do you intend to do about him, Bannon? Jessie asked herself.  
  
That's the 64 million dollar question.  
  
I don't know what to do, she thought. God help me, but I don't know what to do.  
  
*Ignore it* a voice whispered in her head.  
  
Not you again, thought Jessie. There were times when she really thinks her conscience -- or whatever it is -- is working over time.  
  
*Pretend it never happened*  
  
That's the coward's way out, thought Jessie.  
  
*Treat him like you always treat him*  
  
*Turn a blind eye*  
  
It took Jessie a moment to realize that by now it was her who was doing the suggesting to herself to act like nothing ever happened. It wasn't just her conscience or anyone else. It was HER.  
  
She forced herself to eat.  
  
******************************  
  
An ancient being savored the sense of touch as he felt the water of the ocean slide against his chosen physical manifestation.  
  
I'm free, he thought. I am free.  
  
After billions of years of solitude and boredom and nothingness, after billions of years of pent up rage, unending frustration, and unrealized thirst for vengeance, after billions of years of waiting, he craved . . . satisfaction.  
  
He realized, ofcourse, that those responsible for his forced isolation are, for all intents and purposes, millions of light years away from his reach. And without the ability to summon the portal, he was, more or less, trapped in this world. However, billions of years of immobility did not equate to billions of years of idleness. In all those years of forced exile, he had been busy making plans for his revenge.  
  
It had all started when he first noticed what looked like the beginnings of life in this planet. He had waited -- quite patiently, he might add -- to see if evolution will work its wonders towards the primitive organisms. On the day he noticed the forming of a complex organism as a result of the symbiosis of two simpler ones, he had rejoiced and a plan started to form in his mind. all he needed for its execution is time. Fortunately, that was something he had in abundance of. So, he had waited.  
  
When the emergence of the beings gifted with the Capability occurred on Earth, he had been surprised that such power, such Gift, was granted to such vulnerable beings. But it didn't matter. That development only made his plans much easier.  
  
He opened his mind to the world around him as he allowed the strong current to slowly bring him to land -- the dwelling of the Gifted. His mind had been his window to the new world when he had been trapped in the cylinder. It had been his way of gathering information from his environment. When the Gifted Ones started to multiply in huge proportions, however, he had made it a habit to only open his mind and receive his information once every century.  
  
The sheer number and volume of the Gifted Ones' thoughts had hurt him. He had eagerly awaited the time when the gifted Ones will discover how to mute their thoughts from beings with the sixth sense -- such as himself. But that time is a long way from coming and he was already free. He resolved to put up with the inconvenience.  
  
He was slowly absorbing new information through his mind probe when he felt something strange. He recoiled when he realized what it was.  
  
Impossible, he thought. How could such a primitive society have a strong Wielder?  
  
But there it was . . . the aura of a strong Wielder. Wielders are Gifted Ones who have the potential to use and manipulate all facets of the Capability. They are able to use the Capability beyond mere, ordinary thought. In fact, the strongest of them can open the portal.  
  
He observed his surroundings. He was about a mile off shore. In order to be able to mingle with the Gifted Ones of this planet, he would need an instrument, a host. He considered using the Wielder, but thought better of it. He knew from experience that strong Wielders are most difficult to subdue. They have an inherent aversion to being dominated. He then decided to conceal his presence for the time being from the Wielder. Although he was sure the Wielder felt his presence, now was not the time to alarm him or engage in battle.  
  
Instead, he let his mind wander through the shores, looking for a suitable host.  
  
*********************************  
  
Jeanette waded on the public beach part of the Maine coastline. She had always loved the beach at night. She enjoyed the feel of the chilling wind against her face. The frigid water touching her toes made her feel invigorated. Her friends had called her crazy, ofcourse. Maine temperatures don't exactly inspire people to leave their jackets at home and prance around the beach. But then, Jeanette had always felt a certain affinity to anything cold. Her bratty, little brother, however, took it a step further and called her the Ice Queen. He claimed that ice water flowed through her veins instead of blood.  
  
She did everything in her power to encourage him to that way of thinking. Sometimes she wondered herself if it was true. She does tend to pursue her goals with a single-minded intensity that may scare someone who is there to see it. She manipulates people to her own ends with heartless efficiency and without conscience.  
  
Ofcourse, no one in school would ever accuse her of being an ice queen. To achieve her goal, she had played her role well. It's a talent, really. She presents the appearance of a warm, vivacious, if not bubbly personality in order to conceal the ruthlessness with which she gets her way.  
  
Take Jonny Quest for example. She wanted him at her side as a symbol of her success at Rockport High. She had schemed and lied to get is name attached to hers. While some might see her actions as those of a desperately in love individual, she knew better. She was not capable of loving anybody but herself. Jonny is just a means to an end. Securing him would get her what she wanted.  
  
Which is why she must, ofcourse, get rid of a certain Jessie Bannon. She is what stands in the way between her and the realization of her goals. It was all Jonny's fault really. Had he not fallen in love with the red- haired bitch, she wouldn't have had any reason to hurt her. Now, she must figure out a way to incapacitate -- if need be, even kill -- Jessie. It's the only way she can think of to detach Jonny from the tomboy. Jonny, ofcourse, will need somebody to comfort him in his time of need. That's where she comes in. She wonders how Jonny would feel if he were to know that he was the reason behind a tragedy that will befall Jessie.  
  
Jeanette was savoring her plans as she walked by the shore when something hard hit her foot. She looked down and saw the waves bring forth a crystal.  
  
A gift, she thought, from the sea.  
  
She picked it up and looked at it closer. Although she can find nothing extraordinary about the cut, she had to admit that it reflected the light from the moon rather nicely. It was about two and a half inches in length and less than a centimeter in width. Ofcourse, there was that black smudge in the center . . .  
  
Oh well, she thought. It will still make a nice pendant.  
  
She tucked it in her pocket and took it home with her.  
  
That night, in her bedroom, she dreamed.  
  
************************************  
  
He looked at his chosen host. She was young, really. He would never have chosen her had he not felt an instant and certain kinship towards her when his probe brushed her mind. She had the same darkness, the same feelings of hate that he has. Although she didn't know it, her feelings for a certain girl she intends to destroy goes way beyond simple convenience.  
  
She will learn soon enough, he thought.  
  
He approached her.  
  
She turned to him. He could see her assessing her surroundings with a hint of confusion in her eyes.  
  
He didn't blame her. In her mind, she was standing in the edge of nothing. She can feel the solid ground she's standing on, but can't see it. The only thing she can see is him -- or rather a form of him -- and herself.  
  
"W . . . what's going on here?" she asked.  
  
"I have come to offer you a . . . proposition," he hissed in what he considers to be a very good imitation of a human voice.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"Does it matter?" he asked. "I can give you what you most desire."  
  
"What a bunch of sh--"  
  
"Silence!" he interrupted. "I can kill you right now . . ."  
  
She started gasping for breath.  
  
"But I won't . . ."  
  
Her breath returned.  
  
"Instead, I am offering you the power to get what you want."  
  
He then proceeded to touch her mind and show her the magnitude of is offer. He saw her close her eyes and smile as the images danced around her mind.  
  
"Do you want this power?" he asked.  
  
"Yes!" she replied with fervor.  
  
"I can give it to you," he said, "for a price."  
  
Her eyes opened and narrowed. "What do you want?" she asked.  
  
He smiled. "Your acceptance of me," he said. "To receive the power, I must become a part of all of you. Your every action and every thought will never be solely yours again. It will be mine, too. I will exist within you and in the end, I will have your soul."  
  
She laughed nervously. "What are you, the devil?" she asked half jokingly. "What's next? Do I sign a contract with my blood or what?"  
  
"The question is," he said, ignoring her comments, "do . . . you . . . accept?"  
  
She hesitated.  
  
"Think about it, Jeanette," he said. "Knowledge and power beyond your wildest dreams . . . Do . . . you . . . accept?"  
  
She looked at him speechless.  
  
He flooded her mind with images of her goals and her achievement of them all.  
  
Then, ever so slowly, she nodded her head.  
  
Swirls of black smoke envelope her.  
  
********************************  
  
Jeanette abruptly woke up and sat in her bed, breathing deeply. She was drenched with sweat and she felt it. She rose from her bed and headed towards the sink. She turned on the tap for the cold water and splashed some in her face. She looked up in the mirror and saw her reflection. On her neck, hung a crystal pendant which is attached to a black choker.  
  
She touched the pendant.  
  
"Welcome," she said.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Revised December 29, 2001 


	4. Part Four: Acts of Evil

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART FOUR  
  
Acts of Evil  
  
"I should be loyal to the nightmare of my choice."  
  
Marlow from "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad  
  
Race Bannon woke up to a sound that sent shivers down his spine, took ten years off his life, and spurred him to run from his room in a total panic -- Jessie's scream. Unthinkingly, he kicked open the door to her room while his eyes searched for his daughter.  
  
The room was empty.  
  
He turned back to look at the corridor where he came from, hoping for a sign of his Ponchita, but what he saw instead were Benton, Hadji, and Jonny, each looking a little rumpled from sleep but all equally alert.  
  
"What on Earth is going on here?" asked Benton.  
  
"Where's Jessie?" asked Race, fear lacing his voice.  
  
"You mean she's not in her room?" questioned Jonny as he went past Race and entered Jessie's room.  
  
"I heard her scream," said Race, " so I ran here. But she's not here!"  
  
"We each heard her scream, too," said Hadji.  
  
Then they heard it again.  
  
"Get away from me!" said Jessie's voice.  
  
They all ran down the stairs following the sound.  
  
"I will kill you!" screamed Jessie. "I will damn well kill you before you get me!"  
  
"It's coming from the kitchen!" shouted Jonny. "Jessie!" he called.  
  
Race ran towards the kitchen with the others following closely behind him. He was ready for a fight, ready to defend his daughter, ready for anything but what greeted his eyes.  
  
He saw his daughter in her pajamas, her hair in wild disarray, her eyes glazed. He saw her brandishing a butcher knife in front of her, tears streaming down her face.  
  
There was no one else in the room with her.  
  
He felt the others come up behind him. He held up his hand to signal them to stay back.  
  
He approached his daughter. "Jessie?" he asked.  
  
Jessie stared at him. No, no, not at him, through him. It's as if she didn't even see him.  
  
"No!" Jessie screamed to someone behind him. "You're not going to get me!"  
  
There was no one behind Race. Benton, Hadji, and Jonny were now all at his left, staring at Jessie.  
  
"Ponchita, what's going on?" he tried again.  
  
Jessie just continued to stare at nothing, her whole body shaking. Her hand was trembling as she held the knife, warding off unseen opponents.  
  
Race slowly backed away, trying to keep his distance from the sharp edge. Jessie started to wave the knife widely and right now he had no idea what was going on.  
  
"Jessie," he tried yet again, "put down the knife."  
  
No response.  
  
"Race," said Benton quietly, "I don't think she sees us."  
  
"What do you mean, dad?" asked Jonny.  
  
"Jonny," said Hadji, "if you will notice, Jessie has not made a single reaction in response to any of our presence. It is as if we were not even here."  
  
Suddenly, Jessie lunged forward with her knife raised, intending to give a death blow to an unknown enemy.  
  
The blow never landed.  
  
Race, who was in front of her, blocked her attack and grabbed both her hands. And, at long last, Jessie responded to the presence of one of them.  
  
"You bastard!" she shouted at Race, struggling from his grip. She stared at him unseeingly and squirmed from his grasp.  
  
Race tightened his hold on her knife hand, trying to force her to drop the potentially lethal weapon to no avail. Instead, she kicked and screamed and cursed as she tried to free herself from his restraint. Unfortunately for Race, she had the added advantage of not caring what she does to her opponent. She bit his hand hard and when he released one of her arms in response, she promptly threw a punch at him, the blow landing quite hard on his cheek.  
  
He winced in response. He twisted and grabbed hold of her arm again. He felt more than saw Jonny approach them.  
  
"Get back, " he yelled at Jonny. He looked at Benton and Hadji, too, when he said, "I don't want her to accidentally hurt any of you and I've got my hands tied trying to keep her from hurting herself. So stay back! I'll handle this."  
  
He backed her into a wall while she proceeded to kick his shins.  
  
"Jessie!" he shouted.  
  
She managed to free her hand again and attempted to punch him in the gut. Her aim was wild, however, and she ended up punching air.  
  
Again, Race caught hold of her arm while he slammed her other hand into the wall again and again. This time, she dropped her knife.  
  
Then she began to really struggle. She kicked and twisted from his grip. She tried to free her arms from his own and all the while Race kept shouting his daughter's name, hoping against hope that his voice would penetrate somewhere in her consciousness. In frustration, Race started shaking his daughter and her head accidentally slammed into the wall behind her.  
  
At that sound, Race ceased his shaking and looked at her in horror. She had stopped struggling at the same moment and Race saw the dawn of recognition enter her eyes.  
  
She looked at him. "D . . . Daddy?" she said in a little girl's voice.  
  
Race saw her take in her surroundings.  
  
"What am I doing in the kitchen?" she asked and collapsed.  
  
Race caught her before she hit the ground. With his daughter in his arms, he turned to Benton.  
  
"Where to?" he asked.  
  
******************************  
  
Across town, in the Keller residence, Jeanette smiled, pleased at her work.  
  
****************************  
  
"Let's get her to a bed," said Benton leading the way to Jessie's room.  
  
Benton entered Jessie's room and watched as Race carefully laid is daughter to bed. He knelt beside the bed and started checking for her vital signs. Everything seemed normal enough considering. The shortness of breath and accelerated heartbeat he put down to the struggle between her and Race.  
  
He looked at his friend who was holding Jessie's hand.  
  
"I don't know what else to tell you, Race, " he said. "It looks like sleepwalking to me."  
  
"Sleepwalking!" exclaimed Jonny in disbelief.  
  
For the first time since getting to Jessie's room, Benton looked at his sons. They still wore the same stunned expressions on their faces from the kitchen.  
  
Jonny looked at him, concern warring is features. "But dad," he said, "her eyes were open. She looked at us."  
  
Benton took a deep breath. "That may be true Jonny," he said, "but I don't believe she ever saw us. Sometimes people who sleepwalk do so with their eyes open."  
  
"Is . . . is she going to be alright?" Jonny asked.  
  
Benton looked back at Jessie. "Let's hope so, son."  
  
Suddenly Race cleared his throat. "Who was she fighting?" he whispered hoarsely.  
  
Benton could see him replaying the scene in the kitchen over and over in his head. Now that Race brought up the subject, he couldn't help but wonder the same thing. He'd known Jessie for a long time, since she was six or seven in fact. Granted, he only saw her occasionally until around six years ago when she came to live with her father and consequently, with them. But still, in those six years, he'd never seen Jessie look as frightened, as desperate, as he had seen her in the kitchen that night.  
  
Race faced him again. "What could have triggered this?" he asked.  
  
"I'm not really an expert on the subject," Benton said, "but offhand, I'd say stress. However, it could be a number of things. Do you know if she has ever sleepwalked before?"  
  
Race stood up from his kneeling position at the bed. He rubbed his eyes. "I've never seen her like this, " said Race, "but I remember Estella once mentioning -- back when we were married -- how she woke up one morning and found Jessie in the patio of our house. She had fretted and worried about it for months, saying over and over how she left Jessie sleeping in her room the night before. But that was a long time ago. Jessie was around four years old then, I think."  
  
"Any other episodes?" asked Benton.  
  
"Not that I know of," replied Race.  
  
Benton looked at the prone girl. "Well, besides a bump in the head, there's nothing really wrong with her. We really can't do anything anymore tonight." He turned and looked at his sons. "I suggest you two try and get some sleep. You have to be in school in approximately five hours."  
  
Jonny and Hadji protested, but he adamant. "Jessie's alright for now," he said. "I don't believe she would appreciate your all being here in her room when she wakes up. Now, go!"  
  
They reluctantly left the room.  
  
He walked over to Race and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Race," he said, "there's nothing we can do right now. You should try to get some sleep yourself."  
  
"I think I'll stay with her for a while, " he said quietly.  
  
Benton knew he wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise.  
  
He left the room.  
  
****************************  
  
The human body was very . . . constraining. He had been sharing Jeanette's person for no more that a minute when he first noticed it. To be unable to shift forms, to be forever trapped as a mere container of mostly water in its lifetime, to be unable to be at more than one place at one time are just a few of the countless of inconveniences that a part of him had had to put up with.  
  
Jeanette, ofcourse, was having the time of her life. Even if he had not been joined with her in a symbiotic relationship, her aura would have told him the same thing: she was drunk with power. Jeanette had loved being able to manipulate Jessie's brain waves to achieve her desired effect. She had even loved it more when she realized she was able to do it with a mere thought. Her enjoyment increased a hundredfold when she was able to observe the results of her handiwork right in her own bedroom.  
  
It was a waste, really, he thought. She would have made an even more cunning tormentor had she chosen to accept the fact that she was a sociopath. Unfortunately, that's one journey of self-discovery which she vehemently refused to take. The result, he was sure, would be an eventual slip to insanity. Fortunately for her, she wouldn't be alive long enough to experience that particular destiny.  
  
Perhaps it had been a bit underhanded of him not to mention to her the full implications of their current link. While she shared her whole Personhood with him, the same could not be said vice-versa. Granted, their minds were linked in such a way that her every thought is revealed to him. He, however, can control the flow of knowledge, energy, and power from himself to her. What's more, she never did ask what he was getting out of their shared link. He wondered if he would have told her the truth. Probably not. He was quite sure that had he explained the full ramifications of their relationship -- which really was more of a parasitic than a symbiotic one, he might add -- she would have fought him every step of the link. The reason for that stems from the fact that, when all is said and done, and regardless of how everything ends, the result of the 'symbiosis' is the premature death of the host.  
  
Life was not fair that way. However, because of Jeanette's service to him, he would see to it that she gets what she desires before she dies. He would see to it that the Bannon girl suffered. Whether Jeanette would admit it or not, she wanted Jessie's torture more than the title Jonny would bring her. And so, she will witness the torment of Jessie.  
  
Really, he could be quite fair at times.  
  
********************************  
  
Jonny stared listlessly at his bowl of cereal, deep in thought. The incident last night had disturbed him more than anything he could have imagined. The bags under his eyes bore testament to the sleepless night he had spent. Not that he tried very hard to sleep in the first place. After the incident with Jess, he just couldn't bring himself to stay in one spot. He was too wired. So, he had ended up pacing his bedroom until he saw the dawn beginning to make an appearance from his window.  
  
At that sight, he sat in his bed and buried his face in his hands. He couldn't remember ever feeling as helpless as he did that night. The sight of Jessie, looking so desperate and . . . and -- dare he think it? -- 'helpless' tore at his gut. He had never, ever seen Jessie look like that before. She had always been so gung-ho about everything. She would be the very last person he knew who would back out of an adventure, and despite her somewhat rational nature, she had always been there with him whenever his rash actions landed them in big trouble.  
  
She had always seemed so invincible. She could fight better than any other guy he knew at their age. He figured she probably got that from her father, Race.  
  
He remembered the Jessie he saw last night with her arms flailing wildly about her. Gone was the controlled student of the martial arts who three him on his back yesterday afternoon. In her place, a frightened girl fought her demons alone and without protection.  
  
He groaned. He should have been able to do something for her yesterday. He should have been able to help her, comfort her, do anything but just stand there gawking while Race tried to deal with her.  
  
Suddenly, he chuckled. He could almost see how Jessie would respond to what she considers his overrated macho tendencies.  
  
The sound of his humor brought him back to the present. He looked across him on the table and saw Hadji finish his breakfast. He and Hadji made quite a pair. He didn't think his friend got any sleep  
  
last night either. It was just as well that this was a Friday. He was pretty sure he needed a weekend to recover from all the 'excitement' last night.  
  
A sound from the kitchen entrance drew his attention.  
  
There stood Jessie looking beautiful, as is her wont, wearing tight black jeans and a green, sleeveless shirt. Around her waist hung a black/gray/white plaid shirt. She entered the kitchen with her book bag and sat next to them.  
  
Race, whom his dad pried away from Jessie's room over a half an hour ago, stood up and said, "And where do you think you're going, Ponchita?"  
  
Jonny saw Jessie look at her father with a perplexed expression.  
  
"I'm going to school, dad," she replied cheekily. "Last time I checked, Friday was still a school day."  
  
"Not after last night, you're not," said Race. "You're staying home and resting all day today."  
  
"Dad!" she exclaimed. "What's gotten into you? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Don't be obtuse," said Race. "After last night's sleepwalking incident in the kitchen --"  
  
"What sleepwalking incident?" demanded Jessie.  
  
"Uh, Jess?" said Jonny. "Don't you remember . . . last night . . . the kitchen . . . you screaming . . ."  
  
She looked at them like they were talking in another language which she didn't understand.  
  
"Did I miss something here?" asked Jessie.  
  
The four males looked at each other.  
  
She doesn't remember, they all thought.  
  
Finally, Jonny's father asked, "So, Jess, how are you feeling this morning.?  
  
Jess looked at him. "I'm okay, I guess. I had a headache like you wouldn't believe when I woke up but I took some aspirins for it."  
  
"Nothing out of the ordinary or anything?" his father probed.  
  
"No," replied Jess slowly.  
  
"I'm not a physician," said his dad, "but I don't really see why she can't go to school today."  
  
Jonny saw Race clench his fist and noticed that he did the exact same thing.  
  
"Wait a minute," said Jessie. "I'm not going anywhere until someone tell me what's going on."  
  
Jonny saw the look of indecision stamped on the faces of his peers.  
  
"Hey, Jess," he said. "Don't you remember you were sleepwalking last night?" He deliberately made the tone of his voice light. "Geez, Jess, you woke the whole house up!"  
  
Everyone forced a laugh.  
  
Jessie looked bewildered. Then uncomfortable. And embarrassed. Then panic.  
  
"I . . ." she started, "Did I . . . say anything . . . or do anything I should know about?"  
  
"Well," began Race, "you did wake us up with your scream . . . but everything was under control and I put you to bed."  
  
Jonny could see Jessie's mind shifting gears.  
  
"I . . .I don't understand," said Jessie. "I've never done something like this before."  
  
"Don't worry, Jessie," said Jonny. "You didn't do anything embarrassing. If you did, do you think I would have held back this long?"  
  
Jessie smiled at him gratefully, but a troubled expression still remained on her face.  
  
"You know what?" said Jonny, trying to take her mind of it.  
  
Jessie said, "What?"  
  
"You overslept big time and now we're going to be late for school."  
  
Jessie stared at her watch and gasped.  
  
Success, thought Jonny.  
  
He looked towards Hadji and saw him smile approvingly.  
  
"Well," said Hadji, "what are we waiting for? Let's go!"  
  
On the drive to school, Jonny ended up riding at the back seat. Hadji was able to reach the driver's side of the car before he could and Jessie claimed the passenger side.  
  
"By the way, " said Hadji, "I will be unable to join you for lunch today, my friends. I promised to tutor a fellow student in the library today."  
  
"Okay, Hadji," said Jess. "Just don't have too much fun without us, alright?"  
  
Jessie and Hadji laughed while Jonny thought of the implications behind what Hadji just said.  
  
Hadji won't be with them at lunch.  
  
He and Jessie will be alone -- relatively speaking. He had been waiting for a chance to talk to Jessie alone since they shared that 'look' in the clearing. However, circumstances have prevented such an occurrence until now. At lunch. In school.  
  
Oh, well. He could think of better places, but he really wanted to talk to her and it seems this is the first opportunity which presented itself to him. He had wanted to talk to her about dating - each other in particular.  
  
He had known for some time now that he had wanted something more than friendship from Jessie for some time now. Although it had taken time -- not to mention Jessie's dates with Michael -- for him to realize the extent of his feelings for his friend, Jonny had been . . . hesitant-yes, hesitant.  
  
*You mean scared*  
  
Hell, no! I mean hesitant, he thought.  
  
--Hesitant. He had been reluctant to act upon his new--  
  
*New?*  
  
New!  
  
--his newly recognized feelings because he had been unsure--  
  
*Clueless*  
  
Unsure! he responded. As in not sure, okay. Geez, give me a break.  
  
There were times, he thought, when he truly believed that his inner voice is really none other than Jessie in disguise.  
  
--Unsure as to how Jessie might receive the news. Because he'd had no idea how to act around Jessie once he realized what he felt for her, he resolved not to give a hint of what he's feeling until he had made a decision on what to do.  
  
He would have continued in that state of emotional limbo had he not heard Jessie and Eliza talking to each other by the lockers. To be precise, they were talking about him.  
  
He really had not intended to eavesdrop on their conversation. But, when he heard his name mentioned by the very person who has started to fill his waking thoughts, he had abruptly stopped himself from making the corner turn that would reveal his presence to the two.  
  
  
  
**FLASHBACK**  
  
  
  
"I don't know," he heard Jessie's voice. "Jonny's been acting kind of weird lately."  
  
"Oh?" he heard Eliza's voice. "How so?"  
  
"I don't know if I can describe it," Jessie said. "He's been . . . distant -- I guess that's a good word as any." She paused. "There are times when I feel like he's putting on act for my benefit."  
  
*Show yourself*  
  
Wait, Jonny thought. I want to hear this.  
  
*Eavesdroppers never like what they hear about themselves*  
  
There were time when Jonny was sure his conscience takes advice from Hadji.  
  
"You think he's acting distant for your benefit?" Eliza asked.  
  
"No . . . I mean . . . I don't know," said Jessie. "Eliza, I've know Jonny almost all my life. We've been best friends for God knows how long, but lately, he's ssttphgggm."  
  
"He's what?" Eliza asked in confusion.  
  
He heard Jessie sigh.  
  
"Eliza, would you describe Jonny as a touchy-feely sort of a guy?"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Eliza. "Like a guy who'll try to cop a feel whenever he can?" she teased.  
  
Jonny blushed.  
  
"NO!" said Jessie. "Not that kind of . . . Geez . . . Jonny would never --"  
  
Eliza burst out laughing. "I know, I know," she said. "I was just kidding. Honest." She stifled her mirth. "I know exactly what you're trying to say," she said seriously. "Jonny's very . . . expressive, no? I think part of the reason a lot of the kids here in school, including me, by the way, thought you guys were a couple once was because he's very . . . affectionate -- towards you and Hadji, at least. He's very quick to give a hug or sling an arm around your shoulder. Not many guys are secure enough with themselves to do that, you know."  
  
Jonny heard Jessie snort. "If this is your way of telling me that Jonny has a big ego," she began.  
  
Eliza laughed again. "No," she said. "This is Jonny Quest we're talking about here. The big ego is a given."  
  
Jonny frowned.  
  
A big ego? Jonny thought indignantly. What do they mean a big ego?!  
  
"But anyway," continued Eliza, "we're straying off the topic here. What about Jonny's touchy-feely tendencies?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Well," he heard Jessie's voice. "He's . . . not like that anymore."  
  
"Oh?" Eliza's voice said.  
  
Jonny was sure that if he could see Eliza, he would be able to see one of her brows arch up in that comment.  
  
"At first I didn't notice it, you know," said Jessie. "But after awhile, I think I kinda mmsstt."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said," said Jessie, "I think I kinda missed it."  
  
Silence yet again.  
  
"Jessie," said Eliza slowly, "is something going on between you and-- "  
  
"No!" shouted Jessie. She laughed nervously. "Nothing like that," she said in a much softer voice. She took a deep breath. "You know those hugs he used to give?"  
  
Jonny did not hear Eliza acknowledge the question so he assumed she nodded.  
  
"Well," continued Jessie, "they didn't have anything . . . romantic attached to them. They were . . . brotherly--"  
  
"It took me a while to figure that one out, let me tell you," interrupted Eliza.  
  
"And you know I never had any siblings of my own to begin with," she continued. "Well, Jonny's . . . 'affectionate gestures?' . . . used to make me feel very . . . secure. And don't ever, EVER tell him I said that, " she finished.  
  
"No, no," said Eliza. "Never."  
  
Silence.  
  
Then, "Ever wonder why Jonny suddenly started acting . . . distant?" Eliza asked.  
  
"Oh yeah," said Jessie.  
  
"Well?" probed Eliza. "Conclusions please."  
  
A pregnant pause.  
  
"I thought maybe his girlfriend objected," Jessie said. "After all, he acts normal around Hadji."  
  
"Oh," said Eliza.  
  
. . .  
  
"What's the scoop between those two anyway?" Eliza asked.  
  
"You're asking me?" said Jessie, not without a touch of bitterness. "I was in Paris when they started seeing each other."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Eliza, "but doesn't Jonny talk--"  
  
"Not about this."  
  
Jonny leaned against the wall. He can hear the hurt from Jessie's voice when she said that. He closed his eyes.  
  
"Let's talk about something else," offered Jessie.  
  
"Okay," conceded Eliza.  
  
"Now how about that David of yours," introduced Jessie.  
  
Eliza smiled. "Only if you tell me about Michael," she replied.  
  
Jonny's ears perked up.  
  
"Ahhh," said Jessie, "an exchange of information."  
  
"You got it," said Eliza.  
  
Their voiced started fading.  
  
They were moving away!  
  
Jonny strained his ears more but eventually, their voices disappeared all together.  
  
He sat down with his back against the wall and stared unseeingly in front of him.  
  
  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
  
  
"--ey, hotshot!" Jessie's voice called to him.  
  
She and Hadji were now outside the van, looking at him.  
  
"Do you intend to spend the entire school day inside the van, my friend," asked Hadji.  
  
Jonny shook his head and got off the van. "Just daydreaming there for a sec," he said. He joined them eventually and they all started to walk toward their lockers.  
  
Jonny then deliberately put an arm around Jessie's shoulders as the three of them discussed the upcoming party for Estella scheduled to take place that night. If Jessie took notice of his action, she hid it well. She made no action at all to indicate she even felt it.  
  
Since the lockers at Rockport High are arranged in alphabetical order, Jonny and Hadji usually end up dropping Jessie off her locker on their way to theirs. This morning was no different except for the stench that assaulted their nostrils . . .  
  
They first noticed it when they approached the hallway where the lockers are kept.  
  
"Geez," said Jonny, "what died in here?"  
  
"I don't know," said Jessie, her hands on her nose as she tried to limit the amount of her inhalation, "but whatever it is, I hope they find it soon."  
  
"I believe I would have to wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments, my friend," said Hadji.  
  
Students around are making similar remarks.  
  
The putrid smell got so overpowering by the time they got to Jessie's locker that Jonny said, "I think I'll run and get my stuff from my own locker now. I want to get out of this hallway as soon as I can."  
  
Hadji agreed and Jessie wore an expression that said 'I don't blame you' as she started turning the combination of her own locker frantically.  
  
Jonny and Hadji ran.  
  
******************************  
  
Hadji Singh didn't know exactly what made him stop running half way to his locker and turn back to Jessie. All he knew was the fact that the feeling he felt last night, when he heard Jessie's scream, came back full force. The result? He ran back to Jessie.  
  
He saw Jessie backing away from her open locker, her book bag forgotten and dropped on the floor, her left hand covering her mouth as she stared in horror at the sight in front of her. Hadji ran to her side and put his arms around her shoulders.  
  
"Jessie," he said.  
  
She ignored him and started making choking sounds at the back of her throat. All the while, her eyes were glued to her locker.  
  
Keeping her cradled in his arms, Hadji turned to look at what held Jessie's attention and promptly felt the rise of bile in his throat.  
  
There, in her locker, on top of her books, lay a mutilated cat. He stared with morbid fascination at the sight of the maggots as they feasted on the carcass. Because of their sheer number, some of them had fallen into the ground now that Jessie's locker was open. He heard the buzz of flies as they circled around the cat when a thought penetrated the fog of his disgust. He noticed, for the first time (he had no idea how he could have missed it, actually), that there seems to be an inordinate amount of blood -- fresh blood -- smeared in Jessie's locker. In fact, the locker had started dripping with it. From what he can see, the cat had been dead for several days, but the blood . . . the blood was not that old. It couldn't have come from the maggot-filled cat. Unless . . .  
  
And then he noticed it. There was not one cat but two. The other one, the fresher of the two, was draped inconspicuously behind the other cat.  
  
He tightened his arms around Jessie and again looked closer. There was writing in the back of the opening of her locker. It was written in what looked like -- and more than likely is -- blood. It simply said, 'Jessie the Cat'.  
  
Hadji felt anger the likes of which he had never known before permeate his being. That somebody, anybody, would dare do this to Jessie--  
  
He felt her tremble in his arm.  
  
He looked at her and everything outside the two of them fled his mind. He never heard the shrieks given out by some students as they saw the source of the stench. He never heard the curses shouted by Jonny as he ordered someone to get a teacher. All he saw was Jessie as she struggled to compose herself, to pull herself together.  
  
"Hadji," she whispered softly.  
  
He looked down into her green eyes in response.  
  
"I'm going to make whoever did this pay," she said softly.  
  
And finally, he really looked at her. Her emerald eyes, which only moments before were filled with revulsion, now had the glitter of rage and the flash of determination. Jessie was back.  
  
She stepped away from his embrace. He let go of her reluctantly and watched as the principal of the school approached her. With a calmness even he would envy, she answered some of his questions.  
  
By this time, several teachers had arrived and are asking the students to vacate the hallway.  
  
He and Jonny lingered, trying to stay as close to Jessie as possible. She noticed.  
  
"I'll be fine," she told them. "Why don't you two head for class?" she suggested. "The principal would like to talk to me in his office."  
  
Still they delayed, but Jessie insisted.  
  
"I'll see you at lunch, Jonny," she said with an air of dismissal. "Later, Hadji."  
  
She turned and followed the principal to his office.  
  
He and Jonny looked at each other.  
  
"I don't like this," said Jonny, "I don't like this at all."  
  
"Neither do I, my friend," he said, "neither do I."  
  
******************************  
  
Jessie splashed her face with cold water as she leaned down the sink in the school's rest room.  
  
Talking to the principal, the police, Dr. Quest, and her father had exhausted her. After countless of time of telling her father and Dr. Quest that she was alright, they finally agreed to let her finish the school day in school. They weren't very happy with her decision to stay, but they respected her choice.  
  
Now here she was, feeling tired and weak after emptying her stomach of last night's dinner.  
  
Delayed reaction, she thought.  
  
Actually, she was quite grateful that this happened now instead of before when everybody had been staring at her. She hated showing any kind of weaknesses to anyone. At least now, there was no one to see her in this state.  
  
She took a deep breath and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked okay, if not a little pale. With any luck, she'll be able to make her third class.  
  
She clenched her fist. Whoever did this to her was going to pay and pay dearly. She had come closer to being reduced to a mass of bubbling, female hysteria that morning than she had ever been her entire life. And she'd hated it. She hated the fact that she had trembled and showed her fear as she backed away from her locker. She had hated the fact that she almost threw up right there in front of her locker. She had hated the way her fingers turned nerveless and she'd had to drop her school bag. But most of all, she had hated the fear that she felt when she saw what was written in blood in her locker. Only the fact that the culprit might be there . . . watching her . . . had stopped her from running from the scene.  
  
Oh, but she had been tempted. She had been tempted to scream when she first saw the grotesque picture that awaited her when she opened her locker. She had been tempted to turn tail and run when she saw the writing. And most of all, she had been tempted to lean on Hadji and let him and Jonny take care of everything.  
  
Her pride came to her rescue. No way was she letting Jonny see her as a damsel in distress. She wasn't about to lose Hadji's admiration after all the work she's done. So she rallied her spirits and took everything in her own hands.  
  
After one last look at herself in the mirror, she exited the restroom and headed for class.  
  
*********************************  
  
"That was quite a disappointment," said Jeanette as she saw Jessie exit the rest room.  
  
She was sitting on her bed watching as scenes from school appeared in her full-length mirror.  
  
This is definitely better than television, she thought.  
  
"I was hoping for more of a reaction," she said.  
  
"Don't worry," said her benefactor, "you'll see her suffer."  
  
"How about tonight?" she asked, already making plans.  
  
"No, not tonight," he said.  
  
"And why not?" she pouted.  
  
"Look at your -- our energy reserves, " he said.  
  
Jeanette closed her eyes and probed.  
  
She gasped.  
  
"How did it get to be that low?" she demanded.  
  
Her benefactor laughed. "Well," he said, "let's see shall we? First of all, that energy you're using in the mirror. Second, manipulation of brain waves from across town. Third, dual transportation of organic material without so much as lifting a finger. Fourth, killing organic material without getting your hands dirty. Fifth, all these in less than twenty-four hours. Need I say more?"  
  
Again she pouted.  
  
"Don't worry," he said, "tomorrow, as they say in that movie, is another day."  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Revised December 29, 2001 


	5. Part Five: The Calm Before the Storm

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART FIVE  
  
The Calm Before the Storm  
  
"And this stillness of life did not in the least resemble a peace. It was the stillness of an implacable force brooding over an inscrutable intention."  
  
Marlow from "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad  
  
Race stared at his wife -- ex-wife, he corrected himself -- Estella from across the room and brooded. The Quest team's surprise party for her had gone on -- and in fact, is still going on -- without a hitch. Despite all the unpleasantness of the past twenty-four hours, the Quest Compound was teeming with the laughter of the numerous guests, most of whom were flown over courtesy of Benton and his . . . transportation vehicles.  
  
Race had wanted to cancel the whole thing. He firmly believed that what his daughter needed was a time of rest to recover from today's events, not an all-night party. But Jessie had insisted and whenever Jessie insists on something, there's no stopping her. Her arguments to support her side were usually rational and well thought out.  
  
There were definitely some disadvantages to having a daughter who's a little too quick in the uptake, he thought.  
  
Still, he had to admit that Jessie seems alright and is -- if looks can be believed -- having the time of her life. When he first saw what she was wearing that night, he'd nearly had a heart attack for who knows how many time during the past day. The dark, silk green . . . thingy that draped around his daughter revealed far more of Jessie than he had wanted. Only Benton's surprisingly restraining grip in his arm and the vulnerable look in Jessie's eyes as she sought his approval prevented him from marching towards his daughter, draping his coat around her and carrying her upstairs to find a more . . . conservative attire. He was quite proud of the way he had held himself.  
  
He smirked. He had certainly fared better than Jonny, who had gaped at his daughter and started stuttering before she even finished descending from the stairs. Race frowned. He had recognized the look of adoration on Jonny's face when he stared at Jessie that night. He didn't know how he felt about that new -- or is it new? -- development yet. Although he was pretty sure it that whatever he felt, he wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about what Jonny and Jessie decide to do. He thought about his daughter and his eyes narrowed. He would have thought that Jessie had seen the look on Jonny's face too, but for the fact that she avoided Jonny for most of the evening. He'd never thought his daughter could be so blind. Why she's so blind it's almost . . . deliberate. He frowned some more. Perhaps he wasn't the only one in his family who's afraid of change.  
  
He searched the crowd for his daughter and found her dancing with the young man she'd invited. Michael was his name, he thinks. He stared at his daughter and studied her countenance. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that she forgot all about the incident in school this morning. The problem is that he did know better. Despite Jessie's attempt to make light of everything, he remembered seeing the look on her face that morning when he and Benton arrived at Rockport High. He remembered the relief that crossed her features as she ran to him, her arms wide open. He had caught her and returned her embrace. He had felt her squeeze him tightly, then let go. When she turned to face him again, her face was composed and serene.  
  
His heart had skipped a beat at that look. It had reminded him so much of Estella when . . .  
  
Jessie had asked all of them not to mention the . . . incident to her mother. She wanted nothing to keep her mother from fully enjoying her birthday; she had been quite adamant about that. Everyone, including him, had reluctantly agreed not to say anything, at least not that night. They had all decided that it will keep until tomorrow. Jessie would have favored never mentioning it again, but he had insisted that her mother had a right to know and worry. Jessie was her daughter too. Jessie had then looked at him strangely and agreed.  
  
He wondered if she knew how distasteful he found keeping anything from Estella these days.  
  
He gave a self-deprecating laugh. Estella would have a field day with that one if she knew. In fact, if he told her that little tidbit, she'd probably laugh at his face. All through their brief marriage, his job had prevented him from confiding and sharing his thoughts with his wife. There were times when, after coming home from a particularly grueling mission sporting several cuts and bruises, he could feel Estella staring at him expectantly while she lovingly took care of him. Race knew she'd wanted to share his pain, his feelings, his thoughts -- something every wife expects from her husband. But he couldn't. So, he'd tried not to see her disappointment, her unhappiness. Eventually, he didn't see them anymore. Gone was the look of expectation and regrets. In its place was composure and serenity.  
  
That should have warned him, if nothing else, that something was very wrong. Estella had always been a woman of passion and zeal and love for life. All her feelings were usually written in her face. But he had been too blind. So blind, it was almost . . . deliberate. By the time he realized what an empty shadow his wife had become compared to the woman he had married, it had been too late.  
  
  
  
**FLASHBACK**  
  
  
  
Race found his wife sitting by the kitchen table, her arms folded in front of her as she stared into space. Upon closer inspection, he noticed little things that belied her calm exterior. Her jaw was clenched as if she were grinding her teeth. Perhaps she was. Her knuckles were white and her whole body was tense.  
  
"What's up, Estella?" he asked. Estella had said that she wanted to talk to him after he tucked Jessie in.  
  
Silence greeted his inquiry. She seemed to be struggling with something . . . something very important.  
  
She looked up at him and took a deep breath.  
  
"It's not going to work, Race," she said softly.  
  
Huh? he thought.  
  
She swallowed. "This whole thing . . . it's not working," she said again.  
  
Race was getting nervous.  
  
"At first I thought I could handle it," she continued just as softly, "I thought that because I loved you, it was alright that I don't know whether you're coming home or not. I told myself it's the price I had to pay for marrying someone like you. As long as we're together, I told myself that I could handle anything. But then . . . I realized that we're not really together anyway . . .I tried . . . I really tried, Roger." She looked down at her hands. "I want a divorce."  
  
He looked at her, shock apparent in his face.  
  
"Roger, you know we haven't been--" she went on.  
  
But Race ceased to hear anything she had to say after the word divorce came out of her mouth. He felt the very foundation of his world shake and begin to crumble. There was a loud buzzing in his ears. All he could do was stare at her, wishing he'd wake up from this nightmare. But he didn't.  
  
"It's for the best," she finished as she looked at him worriedly.  
  
He felt a pain in his chest that wouldn't go away. He opened his mouth to say something, anything that would make her take back her words, but couldn't. It hurt just to look at her and recall her plea for a divorce.  
  
I want a divorce, I want a divorce, I want a divorce, he heard in his head.  
  
He closed his eyes and felt something burn in the back of his lids.  
  
I have to get out of here, he thought. Now . . . now.  
  
He had to get out of there before he disgraced himself. He had to get out of there before he begged her to stay. Before he cried for her.  
  
Gotta get out.  
  
He left the room with as much dignity as a man who's very happiness had been torn from him could muster. He left with his pride.  
  
He came back hours later and found Estella still sitting by the table.  
  
"You'll have your divorce," he said harshly. He went to their bedroom -- hers now, in fact -- and packed his clothes. He had thought a lot while he had been out walking in the streets. For the first time, he saw his time with Estella and realized how small an amount they were. He thought about all the times when he had alienated his wife, when he had snapped at her for complaining that they never saw each other, when he had explained why his job was very important, why he can't just quit at that moment. He remembered her eyes on each of those times and knew that it was him that put it there. He winced when he remembered being unable to give her the assurance that he will be there at Jessie's birth, being unable to keep their appointments with her doctor. It didn't matter that he was there in the end because it was only pure luck that allowed him to be there at the birth of his own daughter. Ponchita . . .  
  
He knew damn well that there was no way he could keep Jessie in the event of a divorce. He paused from his packing. Jessie, he thought, I'm sorry.  
  
He finished packing and passed by Jessie's room. His daughter lay in her bed, sleeping with a peace only innocents have. He put down his suitcase and walked over to the bed. He bent over gave her a kiss on her forehead. He exited the room before she woke up. Outside the door of Jessie's room stood Estella.  
  
"I won't keep her from you," she said. "You can see her whenever you wish.  
  
He nodded. "You'll explain --"  
  
Estella nodded. "Everything," she finished. "I know you love her. I won't tarnish her image of you."  
  
He took a deep breath. "Thank you," he said. He headed out the front door.  
  
"Roger," she called.  
  
He stopped and turned to her, his eyes hoping.  
  
"I'm sorry it had to be this way," she said. "I . . .I . ." She shrugged helplessly.  
  
"I know," he said. "I know."  
  
He left.  
  
  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
  
  
Race stared at his wife as she danced with a colleague. Even now, she could still stop his breath by just walking into the room. Over the years he had wished that she would grow fat and wrinkly, anything that would keep his heart from racing whenever he saw her, anything that would keep other admirers at bay. But to no avail. She was still as beautiful as she was when he first laid eyes on her and he was still susceptible to her charms.  
  
Unable to help himself, he went over to where she was dancing and tapped her partner's shoulder.  
  
"May I cut in," he asked. His words sought permission, but his eyes demanded.  
  
Her current dance partner -- whatever his name was -- looked at him with something akin to fear in his eyes and gracefully gave his partner up.  
  
Race took Estella in his arms.  
  
******************************  
  
Estella looked up at her former husband and smiled. Roger -- or was it Race, now? -- always did have a particular effect on the men she happen to be with; he scared them to death.  
  
"You know, Roger," she said, "you have to stop doing that. I work with these people."  
  
He looked down at her and made a face. "What did I do now?"  
  
She snorted. "As if you didn't know," she said.  
  
Race laughed and said, "It's not my fault they're scared of me. I don't know what you told them about me, but --"  
  
"I didn't tell them anything --" Estella interrupted.  
  
"Now, now, Estella," said Race, "I don't mind that you're using me to ward off your suitors, but really -- Owwww!"  
  
"Oh was that your foot?" asked Estella sweetly. "And just for your information, I don't need to use you to warn off my . . . admirers. I can take perfect care of myself without having to run to you, thank you very much."  
  
Race looked at her seriously. "I know, Estella," he said. "I know."  
  
Estella looked into his eyes and was lost. He was looking at her the way he used to in the beginning of their marriage. It was thrilling in a way, yet scary at the same time.  
  
She tried to summon her former indignation. "Then why did you --"  
  
"I was just kidding, Estella," he said. He sighed thoughtfully. "We used to be able to do that without any misunderstanding, you know," he said, his voice rough.  
  
Estella was silent. She didn't understand Race's mood tonight. At first, he had been the epitome of the an ardent suitor all through their dinner. He had flirted shamelessly with her all through their dinner together. She had gone along with him, all the while thinking it was a game he was playing. However, there were times when she'd glimpse a hint in his eyes that told her he meant every word he said. She told herself that that had just been wishful thinking on her part, but she couldn't help but feel . . . something . . . something she shouldn't be feeling for an ex- husband . . . something she shouldn't be feeling for a current friend. Because despite their hardships, she and Race have become somewhat awkward friends. They had both agreed that friends make better parents than enemies and so had set aside their differences with each other and tried to show Jessie a facade of amicableness. In time, the facade became a reality. She and Race seem to get along much better as friends anyway and she was glad. For her daughter's sake, ofcourse. Now, she just didn't understand what's going on with herself and with Race. First, he treats her like she was . . . more than a friend, then he completely ignores her when he brought her back to the Quest Compound, and right now, he's acting like the jealous lover he used to be.  
  
She shook her head. Either way, she didn't know what she preferred. With her and Race, the time had never seem to be right. There was always something -- whether it's his job or her job -- that prevented them from that state fairytales keep talking about. Maybe for her and Race, 'happily ever after' just wasn't in the cards.  
  
She looked up at him and saw him staring off somewhere. She placed her head in his shoulders and stayed there. She felt his arms tighten about her waist as he held her closer.  
  
Neither of them said a word.  
  
****************************  
  
Benton stared at his friend as he danced with the one woman who was able to touch him in a way no other woman can. He had suspected for a long time that Race felt more for his wife -- ex-wife -- than he ever let on. Race never said anything and he didn't want to pry, but he remembers the shadows he saw on his friend's eyes the first time he came to work for him as his bodyguard. At that time, he had ignored it. He couldn't deal with another's pain while he tried to cope with his own pain: Rachel's death. At that time, Race had just been another man out of many who claimed to be able to do their job well and that was to protect their employers. Now that he knew his friend better, he knew what had caused the bleakness in Race's countenance when he first started working for him. It didn't take an incredible amount of intelligence to realize that Estella and Race's divorce occurred around that time.  
  
It was sad, really. He knew that Race cared for his wife more than Estella would ever know and Estella cared for Race more than he would ever know. Yet both are so set in their ways that it would be almost impossible for them to be together without a great deal of . . . conflict. First of all, Race loved Estella. Because he loves Estella, he would never ask her to give up her job as an archeologist. Secondly, Estella cares for Race, too. And because of past experience, she would never ask Race to give up his job now. Besides, part of their love for each other is their respect for each other's dedication to his or her current profession. Now the problem: given their current occupations in life, neither of them would see much of each other if they were to ever get married. From what he could gather, that was a significant part of the reason they obtained a divorce in the first place.  
  
What a mess, he thought.  
  
A true case of damned if you do and damned if you don't.  
  
He really wished he could do something for Race and Estella, but right now is apparently not the time for them yet. He wondered if the time would ever come.  
  
From the corner of his eye, he saw Jonny approach him. He had a disgruntled look in his face and Benton didn't have to guess to know what was bothering his son. Jonny had not been his usual cheerful self when they got home that afternoon. He had put it down on the incident with Jessie's locker for a while, but he had noticed how blacker his son's mood had become upon the arrival of a certain Michael O'Connor. It didn't help that Jessie had welcomed Michael with open arms, nor did it help that Jessie seemed inseparable from Michael.  
  
His son was jealous. Jonny had tried to hide it, ofcourse, but he's never been good at hiding his feelings. For the most part, his son is a very straightforward person.  
  
"Hi, dad," he said staring at what is now considered a dance floor.  
  
"Hi, Jonny," he said. "What's on your mind?"  
  
Jonny continued to watch the dance floor.  
  
"I need to talk to her," he whispered to himself.  
  
Benton heard him nonetheless. He stared at his son. You will, he thought. You'll find a way.  
  
Jonny headed towards the dance floor just as Hadji approached Benton.  
  
Hadji nodded to Jonny in acknowledgment and watched as his friend walked over to Jessie.  
  
Benton saw Hadji shake his head regretfully and faced him fully.  
  
"Dr. Quest," he said. " Why are you not enjoying the dance floor?" he asked.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing," he replied. "As for me, I'm too old."  
  
Hadji looked at him strangely. "You are only as old as you think you are, Dr. Quest."  
  
Benton laughed. He didn't think he would ever get tired of listening to Hadji's penchant to come up with his wise, little sayings. "What about you Hadji?" Benton asked. "You have to try that dance floor sometime."  
  
Hadji stared at the group of people dancing. To be more precise, he stared at Jessie who's about to be approached by Jonny.  
  
"Perhaps later," he said quietly.  
  
They watched as Jonny made his progress towards the couple.  
  
"So, Hadji," he said. "What do you know about Michael O'Connor?"  
  
Hadji smiled. "He is one very lucky man," he replied softly.  
  
Benton looked closely at his adopted son. Hadji, unlike Jonny, had always been good at hiding his feelings. His control of himself was probably one of the reasons why Benton hadn't been aware of his feelings for Jessie until lately. He shuddered to think of the conflict that could arise out of such a delicate situation. Perhaps it is better that Jessie is in this party with someone else other than Jonny or Hadji, he thought.  
  
"You know what I meant, Hadji," he said.  
  
Hadji was silent for a moment. "Michael is a very nice young man," Hadji said reluctantly. "I don't believe Jessie would have chosen to . . . go out with him otherwise." He paused. "He can be adventurous like Jonny, yet, he has a quiet strength in him. I noticed it when I saw him with Jessie in school today. He and Jessie are very much alike."  
  
Benton watched as Jonny cut in between Jessie and Michael.  
  
Again, he wished that he was as absent-minded as people thought he was. Then he wouldn't have to ponder about his friends troubles. He wouldn't have the ineffectual desire to solve his friends problems either.  
  
He sighed.  
  
Well, Rachel, what do you think?  
  
It had become a habit of him to talk to his dead wife on times of trouble. Sometimes, he could almost swear she answered back.  
  
*You worry too much* she replied.  
  
Wouldn't you?  
  
*He's growing up, Benton. They're all growing up*  
  
I wish . . .  
  
*I know, Benton. I know*  
  
Benton stared at Jonny as he led Jessie to a dance.  
  
"Dr. Quest, are you alright?" asked Hadji.  
  
Benton looked at him and said, "Yes, Hadji. I'm fine. I was just . . . talking to myself."  
  
******************************  
  
Hadji stared at his friends as they twirled around the dance floor. He felt his heart constrict at the sight. It didn't matter that they were his friends and he wished them all the happiness in the world. He had still felt the stab of jealousy whenever he saw them together. He didn't know how he would handle it if they officially became a couple. Right now, with the Jeanette and Michael complication, he knew that Jonny and Jessie are far from having a relationship of their own together. He breathed a sigh of relief at that thought and promptly reprimanded himself for his selfishness. It wasn't like him to wish ill of his friends and, despite any protestations he might have, wishing his friends apart when they could be happier together is the same as wishing them ill.  
  
*So, Hadji, what do you know about Michael O'Connor?* Dr. Quest had asked.  
  
Hadji had inwardly winced at the question. Because of Michael's relationship with Jessie, Hadji was the last person in the world qualified to answer Dr. Quest's inquiry. From the moment Jessie had introduced him to Michael, he had done his best to look for a flaw that could discredit the black-haired, gray-eyed boy in Jessie's eyes. In fact, he went as far as to subtly encourage Jonny to do the same, knowing how Jonny felt about Jessie. He had rationalized his petty actions by telling himself that he was doing it for Jessie's own good, that friends took care of friends, and that he would do the same for any other friend he had. But such faulty reasoning did not withstand the test of time. He had noticed immediately the malice that underlined his actions.  
  
He remembered the time when he found out that Michael had gone to an ice cream shop with another girl days after his first date with Jessie. Hadji had been triumphant. He had been ready to report Michael's activities to Jessie and once and for all make Jessie see that she could do better than some . . . some track athlete in school when he came to a halt and finally really thought at what he was being happy about. To his everlasting shame, he had realized that he had found joy in the unfortunate circumstance of others. He, Hadji Singh, was going to take delight in telling Jessie what a . . . jerk her boyfriend was regardless of her feelings. He had not thought he could recover from such a fall from grace, but he had striven. He had striven to redeem himself to himself, his harshest critic.  
  
The first thing he did was talk to Michael about his flagrant disregard for Jessie's feelings. He had remembered Michael's look of disbelief and then outright laughter. Hadji had been somewhat indignant, if not surprised to say the least, at Michael's reaction. He had expected anger and denial, not amusement. As Michael wiped the tears of hilarity in his eyes, he had laughingly explained that the girl he took to the shop was none other than his cousin, Shannon, who is visiting the U.S. from Ireland. Hadji had never felt as much a fool as he did at that moment.  
  
Once Michael had been able to control his laughter, he had looked at Hadji seriously and said, "I know how much you care for Jessie. From what I here from her, you trio are the closest to brothers and sisters as anyone can be. While I'm not sure how Jessie would take it when she finds out that you are trying to interfere with her . . . ahhh . . . relationship with me, I just want to tell you that I understand. The thought of anyone hurting Jessie is enough to drive me wild. I really appreciate your trying to protect her."  
  
Hadji was still in shock. He wanted to apologize, but a voice inside his reminded him that Michael was the enemy. Michael was the one who was trying to take Jessie away from them. But another voice, a more rational and calm voice told him that he had made a mistake and he owed this man an apology.  
  
Michael stared at him as if understanding the struggle he was going through. He put his hand in Hadji's shoulder and said, "This is between you and me. Jessie will never find out from me about this incident. Put it behind you. It's normal to be over-protective of someone you consider your sister. I know I am whenever my sister is concerned."  
  
If only you knew, Hadji had thought.  
  
Michael was about to walk away when he stopped and turned back to him. "And just for the record," he began, "if I ever hurt Jessie, you can be the first in line to give me a what-for."  
  
He left Hadji standing alone in the middle of the parking lot.  
  
Hadji had tried to get to know Michael better after that incident. To his surprise, he had to reluctantly admit that he liked the man. He wouldn't call him his best friend, but he was someone one can count on in times of need. He couldn't quite pinpoint what exactly it is about Michael that drew people to him, but it is there. Michael is a member of a peer counseling program at school and a lot of his schoolmates find it easy to talk to him. Unfortunately for Hadji and his feelings for Jessie, Jessie had been drawn to Michael, too. He still remembered the scene he saw in school today.  
  
  
  
**FLASHBACK**  
  
  
  
He had been walking on his way home from his last class and the hallways were deserted. He'd had to stay a little late in class in order to repeat a Physics lab which he botched due to the fact that his mind was elsewhere. Because he had expected everyone to be home by now, he had been surprised to hear voices in one of the classroom. He stopped to look inside and saw Jessie in Michael's arms while she cried in his shoulders. Michael was stroking her hair and murmuring soothingly at her ear. He had immediately beat a hasty retreat and headed for the school parking lot, hoping that they never saw him.  
  
He felt himself breathe raggedly as he doggedly made his way to the parking lot, trying erase the scene he just saw from his mind. He felt a pain in his chest. He wanted the earth to swallow him up right then and there if it meant relief from his pain.  
  
Right, left, right, left . . . he commanded his legs to walk away from the building.  
  
All the while, the claws of jealousy tore at him, making his breathing even harder than before.  
  
*It should have been you in there with her, Hadji*  
  
Right, left, right, left . . .  
  
Breathe in . . .out . . .in . . . out . . .  
  
*Wasn't she in your arms this morning when she first saw the cat?*  
  
*Weren't you the one that realized that there was something wrong?*  
  
*It should be you in there, Hadji*  
  
Stop it, he thought.  
  
*But then, she didn't choose you, did she*  
  
*She wouldn't let you give her any comfort at all*  
  
Hadji thought of the way Jessie left his arms in anger, not at him, but at the culprit. He had wanted to comfort her some more, to let her lean on him . . .  
  
*But she didn't *  
  
*She chose Michael for that*  
  
*I wonder why*  
  
He found the blue van in the parking lot.  
  
He had sat in the blue van next to Jonny who just got in there himself. Apparently, Jonny, like him, had to redo his lab, too, only his was a Chemistry lab.  
  
Jonny started the van.  
  
"Are we not waiting for Jessie?" he asked Jonny.  
  
*That's gonna be a long wait if she's still there cuddling up with Michael*  
  
"She said not to wait up for her," Jonny said with a grim look on his face. "Apparently Michael was taking her home."  
  
"Oh," said Hadji thinking back on the scene he just witnessed.  
  
*Ever wonder why Jessie never sought comfort in your arms?*  
  
Perhaps she needed Michael right now, he thought.  
  
Not for the first time, he wondered why Jessie seemed more comfortable showing what she considers weaknesses to Michael and not to them. The scene in the classroom is a classic example. She didn't seem to mind that Michael can see her in tears, but heaven forbid that she shows such things in front of him or Jonny or her father, for that matter. She allowed them to witness her anger that her space was violated. She allowed them to see her brave front. But she never let them see the fact that she might be hurting. Sometimes he wondered if she felt like she had to live up to being part of the Quest household. He often wondered how being the only girl in a male-dominated household would affect her. If his deductions are right, Jessie refuses to show what some might consider 'feminine' emotions around all of them for fear of being ridiculed or being treated unequally compared to Jonny and himself.  
  
*Ever wonder that maybe, just maybe, you're part of the reason why she won't cry in front of any of you?*  
  
"When did she say she will be home?" Hadji asked Jonny.  
  
"She said right after Michael finishes with his track practice," replied Jonny tersely.  
  
Hadji chose to be silent at that moment and so did that voice inside his head. The van seems to be going awfully fast. He held on for his dear life as Jonny took sharp turns on the road on their way home.  
  
Although he really wished Jonny would not take out his black mood behind the wheel, Hadji did not say anything about Jonny's driving that day.  
  
He understood.  
  
  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
  
  
Hadji sighed and continued to watch Jessie and Jonny as they dance together. He saw Michael make his way towards him and he waited for him to arrive.  
  
He is a good man, he thought.  
  
But then, so were he and Jonny. For the umpteenth time, he railed at fate and its contrary ways. He had wanted to hate Michael, but could not. He had wanted to hate his friend, Jonny, for being one of the people who could secure Jessie's affection, but hating his best friend is not in his system. He wanted Jessie to love him the way he now loved her, the way she used to love him, but she does not. The timing for their feelings had always been wrong. He wondered if it would ever be right.  
  
"Hey, Hadji," said Michael, "Dr. Quest."  
  
"Why hello, Michael," responded Dr. Quest.  
  
Hadji raised his hand in response.  
  
Michael grinned at them. "Either you guys don't like parties," he said, "or you're hiding here in the corner from someone. Which is it?"  
  
Dr. Quest laughed. "Nothing quite that drastic," he said. "We're just people-watching."  
  
"Ever joined the people you were watching?" Michael asked them.  
  
Dr. Quest was silent and then, "Not for a long time," he said.  
  
Michael looked at Dr. Quest and then at Hadji. "Something tells me," he began, "that I put my foot in my mouth, so I think I'll leave you two alone before I do something else."  
  
He left their presence.  
  
Hadji continued to stare at a particular couple in the dance floor.  
  
Now is not the right time for us, he thought to himself. Maybe someday. . . But not now.  
  
He sighed with regret.  
  
**********************************  
  
Michael O'Connor mentally kicked himself. He usually wasn't so dense, but he was nervous. He had heard so much about the Quest Compound from Jessie and about the people in it that he had been a little apprehensive about attending this shindig. He wasn't sure of his welcome or whether or not the people whom Jessie admired so much would approve of him. He was a wreck by the time he drove his car to the long stretch of the driveway that led to the house. Jessie knew how he felt, ofcourse. She always does. Which was why she had tried her best to make him feel as comfortable as possible since the moment of his arrival.  
  
He had been late in arriving. The party had been in full swing by the time he got there. He'd had to go to work that afternoon and there was no way he could switch shifts with somebody. Everybody, apparently, was busy that Friday. In fact, he still had to leave the party early and get back to helping his father in the grocery store. There had been a lot of track meets that week and he hadn't been able to help as much as he could. But Jessie understood and greeted him with open arms when he got there. It's her father whom Michael was a little edgy about. He'd heard about the famous Race Bannon who was hired to protect the famous Quests. Race Bannon was said to have used to work with the government until he quit some nine or ten years ago. In fact, it was rumored that his assignments are usually of those top-secret kinds that people only hear about in movies.  
  
Michael could believe that. He'd only have to look at his eyes to know that Race Bannon was a dangerous man.  
  
*And he thinks you're dating his daughter*  
  
Michael cringed. From what he knew about fathers, they're not entirely too keen on the person who is going out with their daughter. In fact, if his own father's reaction to his sisters boyfriends were any indication, to say that fathers are hostile towards prospective dates for their daughters is somewhat of an understatement.  
  
He thought about his relationship with Jessie and sighed. Despite the closeness they have developed since their first date, he could tell that Jessie's feelings for him are now approaching those for an older brother. He didn't know how it happened. Perhaps it's because he knew so much about her and she about him. Their dates usually end with conversation now instead of the usual kiss. Not that conversation was bad. Just the opposite in fact. He didn't think he'd ever have a chance to get to know and like anyone as much as he did Jessie. Their talks have no borders. It would even be a safe bet to make to say that he knew her as much as maybe Jonny or Hadji. He and Jessie had become each other's confidant. He had mixed feelings about that latest development. While he was happy that Jessie trusted him with innermost thoughts, he didn't like the fact that their relationship had taken a slightly more platonic term. He knew it was a matter of time before Jessie will have to give him that speech on how they're much better off as friends.  
  
He didn't know how he was going to handle that. While Jessie's feelings for him have been turning to those of a sister for a brother, his had taken a somewhat different turn. The admiration and respect he felt for her had turned into something much . . . deeper . . . stronger.  
  
He loved her.  
  
There. He'd admitted it.  
  
He should have known from the very beginning really. No other girl he's dated had ever elicited such a strong response from him as Jessie had. The incident today in school just served to confirm what should have been obvious to him.  
  
  
  
**FLASHBACK**  
  
  
  
"Someone did what?!!" he shouted at the student in front of him. "Where is she?"  
  
"She went to the principal's office," said a voice behind him.  
  
He turned to see Jonny Quest and Hadji Singh exiting their one class together. He looked at them frantically. "Is she alright?" he asked. He could hear the desperate note in his voice.  
  
Since he had come to school early, he had missed the excitement of the discovery of what exactly the stench was by the locker halls. It was only after his first class that he found out. He didn't know why he didn't find out before that since everyone seems to be talking about it. He had wondered where Jessie was when she didn't show up for their English class together. Now to find out that some sicko . . .  
  
"She seems to be taking the whole thing in stride," replied Hadji.  
  
Ofcourse she would seem to, he thought, especially in front of you and Jonny.  
  
He knew more than anyone but Jessie herself how she felt about showing any signs of weakness in front of anyone especially Jonny and Hadji. Her competitiveness with Jonny is an explanation in itself as to why she won't show him her fears and her embarrassment over the past with Hadji will always prevent her from what she sees as damaging her pride even more.  
  
"I need to talk to her," he said desperately.  
  
Hadji had looked at him with understanding while Jonny had just stared at him  
  
"We do not know if she has been out yet," said Hadji. "It is perhaps better to wait for her to come to us."  
  
He looked at them and decided he was going to look for Jessie himself. He got as far as the principal's door when the secretary stopped him. He would have camped outside the door, but he was asked very politely to leave. When he refused, the secretary demanded that he does leave. They had called her father apparently and he and Dr. Quest were on their way.  
  
He left the office frustrated. The sight of the police entering and leaving did not in any way give him a feeling of relief. He wanted to see Jessie and he wanted to see her NOW!  
  
As it turned out, he wasn't able to see her until his track practice. She had come up to him on the field.  
  
"I heard you wanted to talk to me," she said.  
  
"Yeah," he replied. He tucked a few tendrils of her hair behind her ear.  
  
"I'll wait for you at Jenner's classroom, okay?" she asked. "I have to take a make-up quiz from him anyway so I'll wait for you in there when I'm done."  
  
He kissed her forehead and nodded.  
  
She blushed and looked at his teammates, who were doing everything they can to look as if they weren't paying attention to what was going on.  
  
"Well," she said, "I better go. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble with your coach."  
  
She kissed him on his cheek and of she went. Then she turned back. "Can you take me home today?" she asked. "I wouldn't want to hold Jonny and Hadji up."  
  
He smiled. "Sure," he replied.  
  
She was about to leave when he said, "Jessie."  
  
She turned back to him inquiringly.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.  
  
She glanced behind him and again saw his teammates with their coach this time.  
  
She looked at him and said, "Ofcourse," while her eyes said something different. "I'll see you later," she said and left.  
  
He stared after her and went back to practice while his thoughts stayed with her.  
  
Track practice had eventually ended and he jogged over at the school building anxious to see Jessie. He found her sitting in Mr. Jenner's classroom, looking at the scene from the window. He stared at her for a few minutes wondering how he could come to care for someone so quickly.  
  
He guessed he must have made a noise because she turned to him and smiled.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?" she asked.  
  
"Long enough," he said as he walked towards her.  
  
She stood up and walked over to the window. She stared at the scene again.  
  
He followed and stood behind her. He put his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on top of her head.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.  
  
She was silent.  
  
They stood like that for a long time when he finally said, "Do you have any idea what I felt when I found out about it?"  
  
Still silence.  
  
"I felt so helpless," he continued softly, "and frustrated. I tried to find you to talk to you, but something always seemed to prevent me. I thought I was going mad until I saw you walk towards me on that field today. Then I just wanted to run to you and pull you to me and make sure you were okay."  
  
"I'm fine," she said quietly, "as you can see for yourself."  
  
They stood silently again.  
  
"I didn't break down or anything," said Jessie.  
  
He held her tighter.  
  
"I even went back to school after all of them talked to me about it."  
  
He rubbed one of her shoulders.  
  
"I threw up in the bathroom though," she said matter-of-factly.  
  
He smiled at her tone. She sounded almost like a little girl.  
  
"I couldn't help it," she said softly.  
  
He turned her to face him and lifted her chin so that he could look at her eyes.  
  
"Did I mention that I had a cat when I was young?" she asked him.  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"She was a kitten really," she continued. "She was so cute and tiny. We had to give her away when I had to go travel around the world with mom."  
  
He held her eyes.  
  
"I've always loved cats," she said softly.  
  
He felt his heart ache.  
  
"When I saw that . . . when I opened my locker and saw . . ."  
  
She leaned against his shoulders.  
  
"At first I thought it was my cat," she said. "I know, I know it's ridiculous. But the coloring -- from what I can see of it at least -- was the same as mine."  
  
She swallowed. He felt her shoulders shake.  
  
"How could someone do that to that poor cat?" she whispered.  
  
He felt her tears in his shoulder.  
  
"I couldn't stand it," she said. "The stench, the writing, everything."  
  
He strengthened his embrace.  
  
"I didn't want to cry and look like a baby."  
  
He stroked her back.  
  
"Didn't want Jonny or Hadji thinking I'm some sort of shrinking violet."  
  
She looked at him, her green eyes watery.  
  
"You don't think that, do you?"  
  
"Never," he replied.  
  
She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thanks," she said.  
  
Again they were silent.  
  
"Jessie," he said softly.  
  
She looked at him.  
  
"Sometimes it's good to talk about things," he said. "Crying can be very healthy, you know."  
  
She was silent.  
  
"Your father or Jonny or Hadji will not think less of you if you do this in front of them," he continued.  
  
"I can't," she said.  
  
He sighed. Maybe in time, he thought. Maybe in time she'll learn that she doesn't have to hide parts of herself to the people she loved.  
  
The drive back to her house had been a comfortable silence between two friends.  
  
  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
******************************  
  
Jonny looked down at the girl -- woman, really -- he was dancing with. She had been silent ever since he had taken her in his arms and led her in a dance. To be quite honest, he didn't quite know how to act around her tonight. He could still remember seeing her descend from the stairs and feeling his heart pump wildly at the sight of her. He had stood there and stared at her like an idiot. He didn't exactly recall what he started saying, but from the perplexed look on Jessie's face, he didn't believe he made much sense either. All he saw was Jessie, walking up to her father with a hopeful expression on her face while Race . . . Race had gruffly complimented his daughter on her beauty.  
  
Jessie had smiled radiantly at her father's approval and in turn remarked on what a handsome quartet her father, Hadji, his father and he made. All through the evening, Jonny would feel his eyes drawn to his red- headed friend. His breath never failed to catch whenever he met her eyes and her mouth would give him a smile. Things got hectic after that. Race had to run to pick up Estella and take her to dinner while the rest of them had greeted their arriving guests. For the most part, everyone had arrived on time, including the caterers and the musicians hired for the event.  
  
Then Michael arrived and Jessie . . . Jessie had chosen Michael as her escort.  
  
He didn't find out that Jessie had invited Michael to the surprise party until lunch in school that day. To say that he was surprised was an understatement. He had been flabbergasted. Jessie had never once hinted that she had wanted her parents to meet Michael, and for some reason, that had reassured him. He had seen it as an indication that Jessie wasn't really serious about Michael. After all, whenever she and Michael go out, she had seemed to take great pains to make sure Michael never met Race -- or is it the other way around? Jonny frowned. It didn't matter now, anyway. Jessie had proudly introduced Michael to her parents the moment he had arrived. While Jonny gleefully noticed a reservation in Race's part, he had also seen Estella's delight with the track athlete.  
  
"Jessie," he said finally.  
  
Jessie slowly looked up at him, her eyes wide and questioning.  
  
He took a deep breath as he looked into her eyes. All through the dance, he had been more than aware of the feel of her in his arms as their bodies swayed along with the beat of the music. He had felt a warmth pervade his being the moment he had touched her. The feeling of rightness, of coming home had stayed with him from the time he took her in his arms. He didn't think he could feel as complete as he did at that moment.  
  
"Jessie," he said again, more softly this time.  
  
She smiled hesitantly at him, if not inquiringly.  
  
He cleared his throat. "You . . . uh . . . dance well," he said.  
  
You dance well? he thought to himself with disgust. You dance well??!! Why could he not come up with something better to say? He sounded like a complete idiot!  
  
He looked down to see her reaction to his asinine remark.  
  
He wasn't sure, but it looked as if relief sparkled in her eyes for a moment.  
  
She grinned at him. "So do you, hot shot," she replied. "I must say that I'm suitably impressed, not to mention surprised."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" he asked defensively.  
  
"Oh, nothing," she replied. "Only that you don't seem to be the type of guy who'd know the basics of ballroom dancing."  
  
"Oh yeah?" he asked with a challenge in his tone.  
  
"Yeah," she answered belligerently, her eyes responding to his thrown gauntlet.  
  
He twirled her around his arms and led her to series of complicated dance steps. By the end of his exhibition, they had drawn a crowd of onlookers and received the applause that was due to them. He saw Jessie blush as they bowed and he drew her back into his arms.  
  
He smiled down triumphantly at her once she raised her eyes to meet his.  
  
"Show off," she muttered at him.  
  
"Ah, come on, Jess," he cajoled, "you know you enjoyed it."  
  
She ignored that and broke their eye contact. She seemed to find something fascinating with the bow tie of his tux.  
  
Jonny grinned mischievously and decided that a little . . . persuasion was in order to gain her reply. He shifted the hand in her waist threateningly.  
  
Jessie stiffened and he stifled a laugh. If there's anything he knew about Jessie, it was her ticklishness.  
  
"Don't you dare," she whispered furiously as she looked up at him.  
  
"Jessie," he said, moving his hand again, "you know that I'd dare . . . anything."  
  
She tried without success to escape from his grip without gaining the attention of the other dancers.  
  
"Jonny Quest," she began in a lecturing voice.  
  
"Admit it," said Jonny, his fingers tightening around her waist.  
  
She gasped. "Admit what?" she demanded.  
  
"That you enjoy dancing with me," he said matter-of-factly.  
  
"I did n--"  
  
His fingers moved.  
  
She glared at him, her eyes promising retribution. "Alright," she said hoarsely.  
  
He looked at her innocently. "Alright what, Jess?" he asked guilelessly.  
  
"I'll get you for this, Jonny Que--"  
  
"Promises, promises," he replied. "Now what was that you were saying about dancing with me?"  
  
"I didn't say any--"  
  
His other hand moved to her waist.  
  
"Alright, I enjoyed it, okay?" she said. "Satisfied?"  
  
He looked at her intently. "Far from it," he said softly as he brought one of his hands to her cheek, caressing it.  
  
She had the smoothest skin . . . the most incredible eyes . . . the nicest mouth . . .  
  
"Jessie," he said, all playfulness gone, "we need to talk."  
  
She tensed up and avoided his gaze. "We are talking," she said lightly.  
  
His hand raised her chin so that she was facing him. He held her green eyes. "You know what I mean," he said quietly.  
  
They had stopped dancing at this time and just stood there staring at each other. He saw her gulp and look around in embarrassment. He finally noticed that the other dancers are looking at them strangely.  
  
"Let's get outta here," he said as he dragged her with him and headed for the double glass paned doors which led to the gardens.  
  
He felt her dragging her feet behind him, but didn't care. They needed to talk and it was about time they did. He was tired of her delaying tactics, her timely attempts at changing the subject, and her reluctance to broach the subject that he was sure had been in both their minds lately.  
  
When they finally reached their destination, a secluded spot in the garden which hid them from any possible prying eyes, he stopped and turned to look at her. She was standing in front of him, her back ramrod stiff and her arms crossed.  
  
******************************  
  
Jessie had been getting angrier by the second as she was literally dragged by Jonny across the room and into the garden.  
  
How dare he? she thought. How dare he just decide then and there for them that it was time to destroy the years of friendship they had built. Didn't he know what this 'talk' will do to both of them? to their friendship? to their lives? Didn't he know that after this talk he wanted to have, there is huge possibility that they would lose the camaraderie that took over a decade to accomplish? It's stupid. This wanting to talk is stupid. This whole situation is stupid. In fact, he's behaving stupidly. She will not allow this!  
  
"We're going back to the party," she said as calmly as she could. She turned from him and started to walk away. She had barely made three steps when she felt the strong grip of his fingers on her shoulders, stopping her progress.  
  
"Jessie," he said in a tone of voice she'd never heard him use before. "We . . . will . . . talk."  
  
Jessie turned to face him, furious, but trying to reign the temper she was known for. "Listen to me, Jonny," she said, deliberately slowly, "there is nothing to talk about."  
  
Jonny looked at her closely. "I think there is," he said quietly, "and if you'd stop being a coward and running away, you'll agree with me."  
  
Coward? she thought. He's calling me a coward?!  
  
Take a deep breath, Bannon. Remember, when you lose your focus in a battle, you lose the battle. And whether you like it or not, this . . .is . . .a battle. It's a battle for the friendship you want to preserve.  
  
"I am not a coward," she told him softly. "And if you weren't my friend, I'd have knocked you senseless for even suggesting such a thing."  
  
His fingers dug deeply into her shoulders. He looked as if he wanted to shake her. "You know I'm right about this," he gritted, "and we're going to stay here and talk about it even if it takes us all night."  
  
"For the last time," she said, her patience running thin, "there . . . is . . . nothing . . . to talk about."  
  
Jonny cursed softly under his breath. "Fine!" he said. "I'll talk and you'll listen."  
  
*You will lose him, Jessie*  
  
*Remember what happened to your parents*  
  
Jessie struggled from his grip in her shoulders, but Jonny was angry and that anger gave him strength.  
  
She couldn't let this happen. She was not going to lose Jonny. She wouldn't let what happened to her and Hadji happen with Jonny. She had to stop this. She had to do something, anything that will halt this conversation. But she couldn't think of anything to do. She, Jessie Bannon, could not figure out a way to stop him. She felt tears of frustration build in her eyes.  
  
I will not cry, she told herself. Not in front of Jonny.  
  
*Suck it in, Bannon!*  
  
Hold back the tears, Jessie. You know crying never did anything.  
  
*Remember when you cried for your father when he and your mother separated*  
  
He never came back to live with you and your mom again, did he?  
  
*Remember when you cried for yourself, for the cat, in Michael's shoulders today*  
  
The cat is still dead, isn't he?  
  
Do not cry. Hold back the tears.  
  
"Jonny, listen to me," she pleaded. "Don't do this."  
  
********************************  
  
Jonny looked at her face as she appealed to him. He saw the moonlight bouncing off the redness of her hair. He can see the desperation and the beginnings of panic in her face as she pleaded. He felt his resolve falter.  
  
"Jessie," he said softly. He took his hands from her shoulders and used them to hold her face up to him. His fingers caressed her cheeks, touched her hair. Lines of worry appeared in her forehead. He thought her the most beautiful woman in the world at that moment.  
  
"Jessie," he said again, his voice trembling. He put one of his hands in the back of her neck and the other in beneath her hair. He drew her close to him and leaned forward.  
  
He touched his lips with hers.  
  
********************************  
  
Jessie felt Jonny's mouth close over hers, hesitatingly, questioningly.  
  
*Step away from him!*  
  
She felt the warmth of his hands as one of them moved to her waist.  
  
*You know you can step away from him!*  
  
She felt his hold of her tighten, his lips still moving.  
  
*Step away now, before it's too late!*  
  
It is too late, she thought.  
  
Her eyes closed as she put her arms around his neck and she kissed him back.  
  
*********************************  
  
Michael blinked, unable to believe what he was seeing.  
  
He blamed the poor lighting of the garden, the denseness of the trees, the glow of the moonlight. He blamed his tiredness, his eyesight . . . anything at all. He couldn't be seeing what his eyes are telling him.  
  
He shouldn't have let his curiosity get the better of him. He should have just stood in the room and waited. He knew he shouldn't have followed them in the garden. He shouldn't have followed them to the secluded spot. He shouldn't have hid behind the trees. He shouldn't have eavesdropped. And when they had stopped talking, he shouldn't have leaned close enough to see them.  
  
But he did.  
  
And the sight he saw was like a knife dug deeply into his chest and twisted.  
  
He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He couldn't drag his feet off and leave. He couldn't do anything! All he could do was stare helplessly at the couple as they kissed. He stared as Jonny held the girl who had come to mean more to him than the very air he breathed. He stared bitterly as Jonny took the place which he had wanted, craved more than anything. Jealousy ate at his soul when he saw Jessie's arm go around Jonny's neck.  
  
He couldn't stand it. HE COULD NOT STAND HERE AND WATCH THIS!!!  
  
He willed his feet to move, to take him away anywhere as long as it took him from this place. Finally, with they started to move, to walk, to run. He ran from the garden, past caring if they heard his retreat or not. All he knew was that he . . . had . . . to . . . get . . . away . . . away . . . away.  
  
He tried to compose his face by the time he got back inside the house. He could feel his blood pumping furiously as he sought the exit. A blackness threatened to overwhelm him.  
  
"Michael," he heard someone say behind him.  
  
He turned his haunted eyes to the owner of the voice. It was Hadji.  
  
"Where are you going?" Hadji asked.  
  
"I . . . uh . . ." he stammered. He cleared his throat. "I have to go now," he said hoarsely.  
  
"But. . .but," said Hadji, "have you said goodbye to Jessie?"  
  
He smiled bitterly. "I'm sure she won't miss me," he said flatly.  
  
He left.  
  
******************************  
  
Hadji stood and watched Michael's exit. Confusion marred his features as he wondered what had Michael rushing from the party so suddenly. He had seen Michael come inside from the gardens with a bleak look in his face. He had approached him to inquire what was troubling him, but he didn't even have a chance to ask.  
  
He wondered . . .  
  
He looked back at the doors which led to the garden.  
  
Then he looked around the room.  
  
Jessie and Jonny were nowhere to be seen.  
  
Oh no, he thought.  
  
*********************************  
  
A noise penetrated the edge of Jessie's consciousness and it was enough to bring her to her senses. She broke her kiss with Jonny and looked around for the source of the noise and found nothing. She looked up at Jonny, and found him staring at her with wonder. She could still feel the imprint of his mouth on her lips . . .  
  
"Jonny," she said, her voice unsteady.  
  
She felt him draw her close again, but this time she used her hands -- which she found around his neck -- to push him away.  
  
"No," she said, her voice still unsure.  
  
She pushed him harder until he let go of her.  
  
*What have you done, Jessie?*  
  
She looked up at Jonny, her right hand covering her mouth.  
  
*What have you done?*  
  
She saw his eyes look at her with concern.  
  
"Jessie," he said softly. "What's wrong, Jessie?"  
  
She stared at him. She could see her world crumbling before her.  
  
"Jessie?" Jonny said again. "Talk to me, Jessie. Tell me what's wrong."  
  
Didn't he know, she thought. Didn't her know?  
  
"Everything," she whispered.  
  
"What?" Jonny said.  
  
"Everything," she shouted. She started to back away from him. "Everything is wrong. We shouldn't have . . . we shouldn't have--"  
  
"Don't say that," he interrupted. His hands clasped her arms, stopping her retreat. "This has been waiting to happen for a long time."  
  
"That's a lie!" she said desperately. "This is wrong. It shouldn't have happened!"  
  
"Jessie," he said, his face inches from her. "Jessie. I love you."  
  
NO! she thought. No, no, no, no, NO!  
  
Love, this kind of love, never lasts.  
  
It eventually destroys.  
  
"Jonny," she said to him, panic lacing her voice. "We're best friends."  
  
"I know, Jessie," he said, smiling at her.  
  
"Jonny," she said frustratingly. He was deliberately being dense about this. "That's all we are."  
  
Jonny shook his head. "Now who's lying," he said.  
  
"Jonny, Jonny, please," she said, she could feel tears forming in the back of her eyes. "Let's just be friends."  
  
Jonny shook his head again.  
  
"Jonny!" she said desperately.  
  
"I want more than that, Jessie," he said. "You'd realize you do, too, if you'd stop lying to yourself."  
  
She shakes her head vehemently. "Jonny, listen to me," she said. "Ofcourse you love me. We're best friends. We're supposed to love each other."  
  
Jonny sighed with impatience. "Jess," he said, "we both know that's not what I meant when I said I loved you."  
  
"Jonny," she said, also impatient. "That kind of love never lasts. We'll only end up hating each other. There's no purpose--"  
  
He touched her cheek. "Give it a chance, Jess."  
  
"No!" she shouted. "I don't love you! Not that way!"  
  
She watched as he winced. He looked at her and searched her eyes.  
  
"You don't mean that," he said hoarsely. "You know you don't."  
  
*Dig the knife in, Jess. Whatever pain he might feel right now is nothing compared to what he will feel if you pursue this insanity*  
  
"I . . .Don't . . . Love . . . You," she said deliberately and looked defiantly into his eyes. "This whole thing is just hormones acting up."  
  
******************************  
  
Jonny felt his whole frame shake. He could feel his fingers digging deeply into Jessie's shoulders. He was probably hurting her, but he couldn't stop himself.  
  
I don't love you, she had said.  
  
He couldn't breathe.  
  
I . . . Don't . . . Love . . . You , she had said.  
  
Pain . . .  
  
Why was she doing this? Why was she hurting him this way?  
  
"Stop being stupid about this, Jonny," she said.  
  
He looked at her, really looked at her.  
  
"Come on, Jonny," she said. "Stop acting like an idiot."  
  
Loving her was acting like an idiot? he thought. Didn't she understand that his love will only strengthen and deepen what they have already?  
  
He looked in her eyes and knew that she didn't.  
  
"Chalk it up to the moonlight," she said lightly.  
  
He offered her his heart, shared his feeling, spoke his thoughts and all she could say was that it was the moonlight? He closed his eyes. Think, Jonny, think. He thought about their kiss. How right it had been. How perfect.  
  
"Jonny," she said at his continuing silence.  
  
He opened her eyes and for the first time, he saw deep into her. He saw her fears.  
  
"Jonny," she said again. "Let's be friends. Friends last forever."  
  
He saw.  
  
She wasn't ready. He realized at that moment that if he forced this issue right now, everything will be lost because of her stubbornness, her blindness.  
  
"We're always friends, Jessie," he said. He could feel his throat constricting.  
  
"Promise?" she asked.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Now let's forget this silliness and go back to the party," she offered.  
  
He nodded. "You go on first," he said. "I'll follow you."  
  
She nodded and slowly turned away.  
  
He watched as he entered the house. He swallowed the regret, the bitterness, and the sadness that he felt at this chosen path of their lives. In the region of his heart, there was a pain which he tried to ignore.  
  
********************************  
  
Jessie returned to the party with mixed feelings. She knew she did the right thing in regards to her relationship with Jonny. Yet . . .  
  
Why do you feel so awful? she asked herself.  
  
She remembered how their kiss felt.  
  
She remembered the hurt in Jonny's face.  
  
That's why, she thought.  
  
*It wouldn't have lasted anyway*  
  
She remembered how he held her in his arms.  
  
*It wouldn't have lasted anyway*  
  
The way he touched her face . . .  
  
*It wouldn't have lasted anyway*  
  
The kiss . . .  
  
*It wouldn't have las--*  
  
But what if it did?  
  
What if you just threw away the best thing that ever happened to you?  
  
She shook her head. She had to stop second-guessing herself like this.  
  
"Jessie!"  
  
She looked up and saw her mom waving at her. She was standing beside the grand piano in the room and was holding a violin in her hand. Jessie smiled. Her mom, the renowned archeologist, had a passion for violin music.  
  
She approached her mom with trepidation. The last time her mom had a violin in her hand, she got drafted to sing sappy love songs which her mom loved.  
  
"Hey, mom," she said, kissing her mom in the cheek. "Enjoying the party?"  
  
Her mother laughed and said, "Tremendously."  
  
Jessie eyed her violin. She was feeling drained already and was making plans on escaping the party at the earliest opportunity.  
  
"Jessie," her mom said in a tone of voice Jessie knew well.  
  
"Mom," she said.  
  
"Just one, Jessie," said her mom.  
  
"I haven't sung in a while mom," she said.  
  
"You sang at the Rodriguezes's when you were with me the last time," she said.  
  
"That's because you won the bet between us," muttered Jessie.  
  
"Jessie," came Dr. Quest's voice. "I didn't know you liked to sing."  
  
"I didn't know she could sing," said her father behind her.  
  
"I would certainly like to hear a song from her," added Hadji.  
  
Jessie glared mutinously at her so-called friend.  
  
"Come on, Jessie," said her mom.  
  
Jessie took a deep breath. She was going to regret this. She just knew it. "Alright," she said. "But only because it's your birthday."  
  
Her mom gave her a hug and said, "Is it a sin for a mom to want to show off her daughter's talents?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Jessie. "Let's get this over with. What song do you want?"  
  
She saw her mother look at her father.  
  
What's going on here?  
  
"'Kissing You'" she whispered to her so that Jessie and the piano player were the only ones to hear it. She inwardly groaned. If there was a song which she didn't want to be singing at this point, it would be that song. It was a wonderful song, but right now, with the incident with Jonny . . .  
  
"Ready?" said her mom.  
  
Jessie looked and saw that some of the other musicians who happened to be string players looking at her.  
  
"As I'll ever be," she replied.  
  
******************************  
  
The piano began to play the strains of the music . . .  
  
"Pride can stand a thousand trials . . ."  
  
Jessie closes her eyes and sees Jonny as he struggled for composure in the gardens . . .  
  
"The strong will never fall . . ."  
  
Estella remembers a time when she had lovingly taken care of her husband, ex-husband, after a particularly battering mission. She had wiped his brow . . .  
  
"But watching stars without you . . ."  
  
Hadji remembers staring at the stars in the balcony at Bangalore . . .  
  
"My soul cries . . ."  
  
Jonny leans against a tree and looks up in the sky outside . . .  
  
"Heaving hard, it's full of pain . . ."  
  
Race remembers walking out of the house he and Estella had lived for over five years . . .  
  
"Oh . . ah . . . the aching . . ."  
  
Benton thinks of his years with Rachel . . .  
  
Michael is driving home and his mind goes back to what he saw in the garden . . .  
  
"'Cause I'm . . . kissing you . . . ahhh . . ."  
  
Jessie remembers the look in Jonny's eyes just before he closed them and he kissed her . . .  
  
"I'm . . . kissing you . . . ohhh . . ."  
  
Jonny remembers the feel of Jessie's arm around him during the kiss . . .  
  
"Touch me deep . . . Pure and true . . ."  
  
Race remembers the time when he and Estella first held Jessie . . .  
  
"A gift to me forever . . ."  
  
Estella remembers when Race first handed her her daughter . . .  
  
"'Cause I'm . . . kissing you . . . ohhh . . ."  
  
Michael recalls a time when he and Jessie first kissed . . .  
  
"I'm . . . kissing you . . . ohhh . . ."  
  
Benton recalls his wedding to Rachel . . .  
  
The strains of the violin act as a background while the piano melody slowly build up to a crescendo . . .  
  
Jessie recalls the event in the garden . . .  
  
"Where are you now . . ."  
  
Jonny is still outside, thinking about what happened . . .  
  
"Where are you now . . ."  
  
Michael is in his car, driving recklessly through a difficult road . . .  
  
"'Cause I'm . . . kissing you . . . ohhhh . . ."  
  
In his mind, he sees Jessie and Jonny . . .  
  
"I'm . . . kissing you . . . ohhhh ...."  
  
He sees a pair of oncoming headlights directly in front of him . . .  
  
The final strains of the violin die down . . .  
  
Everything went black.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Revised December 29, 2001 


	6. Part Six: Dawn's Early Light

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART SIX  
  
Dawn's Early Light  
  
"There was a touch of insanity in the proceeding."  
  
Marlow in "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad  
  
Bright light, blinding him . . .  
  
Voices . . .  
  
"Multiple lacerations . . .head trauma . . . fractures in the . . ."  
  
"Jesus! Must have been a doozy . . ."  
  
Pain . . . God, the pain . . .  
  
Finally, blessed darkness . . .  
  
********************************  
  
"Hello?" said a man as he answered the ringing phone.  
  
"Mr. O'Connor?" said an authoritative voice in the other line.  
  
"Yeah, that's me," he replied..  
  
"I'm sorry to have to inform you that your son has been involved in an accident . . ."  
  
He ceased to hear.  
  
Oh, God, Michael, he thought.  
  
He looked up and saw his wife staring at him with concern.  
  
"Is there something wrong, Paddy?" she asked worriedly.  
  
He tried to compose his face and failed.  
  
"He's currently at Rockport Memorial Hospital right . . ."  
  
His son . . .  
  
"Paddy? Paddy, what's wrong? You're worrying me, Paddy . . ."  
  
He took a deep steadying breath, hoping it would still the pounding he felt as blood rushed to his brain.  
  
"Paddy?" the voice had an edge of panic this time.  
  
He looked at his wife and took her in his arms while what the man on the phone was saying finally registered.  
  
"The doctors are working on him right now . . ."  
  
"Is he . . .is he . . ."  
  
"They're not sure at this point, however . . ."  
  
"We're going there right now," he finally said. He placed the phone back in its cradle and held his wife tighter.  
  
"We're going to the hospital," he said as calmly as he could. "Michael needs us."  
  
She looked at him, fear in her eyes.  
  
"Oh God, oh God, no," she said repeatedly. "Not Michael. Not my baby." She started wheezing.  
  
"We have to be strong," he said, his voice taking on a choking quality. "For Michael."  
  
She looked at him, tears falling down on her face. She tried to stop them, but couldn't. Her breathing became ragged.  
  
"Michael is alive," he said determinedly. "He has to be."  
  
She stared at him, wanting to believe, to rely, to lean.  
  
"He's alive," he said again. "And we will be strong."  
  
Slowly she nodded.  
  
He wiped her tears from her face. "We must go to the hospital," he said. "Michael will need us with him."  
  
She took a deep breath. "We must tell Moira," she said, her voice shaking.  
  
"We will tell her together," he said.  
  
They held hands and headed towards their daughter's room.  
  
*********************************  
  
"It's way past midnight," said Jeanette.  
  
"It is wiser to wait till the dawn," he said reasonably.  
  
"I want to do it now," she said mutinously.  
  
"Now will present complications," he said impatiently. "You know that."  
  
"I hate waiting," she said, frustrated.  
  
"You mustn't waste your energy on useless endeavors," he replied. "Patience, my host. Remember, it is easier to subdue six people than sixty people."  
  
"By dawn all the guests will be gone," she said anticipatorily.  
  
"And you have free rein to do as you please with those who are left," he said, "as long as you remember what I want out of this."  
  
Her eyes gleamed.  
  
************************************  
  
Hadji opened his eyes slowly. He didn't know what it is that prompted him to wake up so early, but whatever it was, he could not help but feel a slight resentment at his disturbed slumber. The past week had been a series of interrupted sleep for one reason or the other. And last night . . . last night, he had found it harder to sleep than usual. First of all, nobody at the Quest household was granted an early night. Estella's surprise party had lasted for quite some time. Secondly, once he did escape to his bedroom and got ready for bed, his thoughts made it impossible for him to relax and reach that state of sleep. He had tossed and turned all through the night. His bed looked as if a war had been fought there.  
  
Thinking of his restless night, he shrugged ruefully.  
  
Perhaps a war had been fought here, he thought.  
  
He couldn't remember having a more miserable time sleeping. Images of Jessie and Jonny and the possibilities of what they might have been doing in the garden had drove him to distraction. His dreams provided him with endless scenarios, all of which left a bitter taste in his mouth.  
  
He thought of the look in Michael's face as he came back from the garden. He couldn't decide whether it was better to know or not know what happened. On one hand, to know what happened means he would not be tormented by uncertainty. It would, however, also mean having to have to accept it -- whatever it is. On the other hand, to not know what happened, however, left his imagination with a free rein. The only positive thing about not knowing is the possibility that perhaps nothing really ontoward happened  
  
A glance at his window told him that dawn's rosy hues have just begun to color the dark sky.  
  
Sunrise, he thought. He had always loved watching the sun rise.  
  
Then he felt it: the reason he woke up so early despite his late night.  
  
That nagging feeling of impending . . . doom?  
  
He stretched his senses to search for the source.  
  
He gasped.  
  
It is here, he thought.  
  
He jumped out of be and looked around him.  
  
Sweat broke in his forehead as waited apprehensively for something . . . something he did not know what.  
  
This is not good, he thought.  
  
He took the few steps which headed for the doorway out when he stopped. Something was holding him back. An invisible force is preventing him from making a move.  
  
I must warn the others, he thought.  
  
It was his last one before he was blinded by a bright ball of light that seem to have appeared out of nowhere. It surrounded him, enveloped him.  
  
He knew nothing else.  
  
*******************************  
  
Deep within the earth, two creatures waited for a . . . delivery.  
  
"We've got him," said Jeanette.  
  
"Indeed we do," he said. He watched as the sphere appeared before their eyes. It glowed brightly as it remained suspended on the air, holding its captive.  
  
Jeanette looked at the unconscious form of Hadji as he lay inside the sphere. She didn't know what he wanted from this boy, but it doesn't matter. What she cared about was the others.  
  
"Now can I--" she said.  
  
He turned off her consciousness.  
  
He had been doing that a lot lately. Her insistence on continually using her primitive form of communication has slowly been irritating him. It's not that he didn't appreciate her contribution to his endeavor. He did. He really did. But now is the time for him to get a little of what he wanted. And this strong Wielder will fit perfectly to his newly formed plans.  
  
Because he never expected to encounter one such as him in this vastly primitive planet, his billions of years of planning did not take into account this new factor. His detection of the Wielder's aura served to alter his . . . designs of revenge a little bit. To be more precise, the discovery of a strong Wielder can only serve to hasten his schemes. Revenge will be his sooner than he had first thought.  
  
He looked at his captive speculatively. Perhaps there was a way to get what both he and Jeanette wanted at the same time.  
  
A new idea began forming in his mind.  
  
*******************************  
  
Jessie was falling.  
  
She didn't know where she was, but wherever she was, it was dark. So dark, she couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. At least she assumed it was in front of her face. Ever since being in the dark, she had felt separated from her body. Perhaps it was because she couldn't see it. She wasn't even sure if her feet touched the ground. But that didn't matter. What mattered was Hadji's voice calling desperately at her to help him. And she couldn't do anything.  
  
She had been walking in the dark for quite some time when she heard Hadji's voice call to her. She tried to follow the sound of his voice, but for some reason, no matter how much she ran, she stayed at the same spot. It's as if she wasn't moving at all.  
  
So she ran faster and Hadji's voice became fainter and fainter. She felt helpless and frustrated at her inability to do anything, at the futileness of her actions.  
  
A heavy weight settled in her heart. Hadji's voice has disappeared.  
  
And again she was left alone in the darkness. Alone. She stayed that way for a long time. Despair was welling up inside her. She didn't understand what was going on. She couldn't do anything. The darkness was penetrating her being, invading her soul. The darkness stayed with her wherever she looked. She curled up in a ball of misery.  
  
She was like that for a while when she felt a touch brush her shoulder. She looked around, half-expecting to confront something or someone, but the darkness remained. Again she felt the touch.  
  
"Where are you?" she demanded.  
  
"Jessie," a familiar voice said.  
  
"Michael?" she asked softly.  
  
"Don't cry, Jessie," he implored gently.  
  
"Michael, where are you?" she asked, looking around.  
  
"I'm with you," he said. "I'm always with you."  
  
She smiled in the dark.  
  
"Michael, what's happening?" she questioned. "Where am I?"  
  
She felt warmth wrap around her.  
  
"Remember Jessie," he said. "You're stronger than this."  
  
"What do you mean?" she inquired.  
  
"Remember that you're stronger than this," he repeated. "Don't let the despair overwhelm you."  
  
"But I don't understand what's going on," she said, frustrated. "I don't even know why I feel this way."  
  
"This isn't you, Jessie," he said. "Remember that."  
  
His voice started to disappear.  
  
"Remember . . ."  
  
"NO!" she exclaimed. "Don't leave me here!"  
  
She started running towards the sound of his voice but a ringing in her ears distracted her concentration.  
  
That's when she fell . . . and kept falling.  
  
THUMP!!  
  
Jessie opened her eyes and found herself at the foot of her bed.  
  
Some dream, she thought.  
  
She shook her head, trying to get rid of the ringing sound when she noticed the phone in her dresser.  
  
"Jessie," she said to herself, "you could be a little slow sometimes."  
  
She groggily got to her feet and reached for her private phone line.  
  
"Hello?" she said raspily, her voice rough with sleep.  
  
"Jessie?" said a girl's voice on the other end of the line.  
  
She yawned. "Who's this?" she asked.  
  
"It's me, Moira," the girl answered.  
  
Moira? Michael's sister? What the heck is she doing calling at --  
  
She glanced at the clock near her phone. It's six-thirty in the morning.  
  
--Six thirty in the morning?  
  
"Moira," she said. She yawned again. "What's up?"  
  
She heard her take a deep breath. "I thought you'd want to know," she began, "I mean, I know you and Michael were going out and all and . . . I thought you'd want to know . . ."  
  
Jessie's heart began to pound faster. A feeling of deep foreboding spread throughout her consciousness.  
  
"Michael was in an . . . accident last night," Moira continued, her voice trembling.  
  
Jessie felt her chest constrict.  
  
Michael, she thought. Oh, Michael.  
  
"I . . .I don't know who else to talk to," said Moira. Her voice had a more halting quality now. "No one else knows Michael like you do in school. I . . . I . . . wanted to talk to someone who . . . cared for him . . ."  
  
NO! Life could not be this unfair. Michael had so much to do, so much to offer . . .  
  
"He can't be dead!" whispered Jessie, almost to herself.  
  
"NO!" Moira said. "They don't know yet. They're still with him. The doctors, I mean."  
  
Jessie took a deep breath.  
  
He's alive, she thought to herself. He's alive. He's not dead. Not dead.  
  
"What hospital are you in?" she asked in a calm voice.  
  
"Rockport Memorial," she replied.  
  
"I'm going there as soon as I can," said Jessie.  
  
"Thanks," said Moira.  
  
"And Moira?" said Jessie.  
  
Pause.  
  
"You're my friend, too," she said. "Hang in there, 'kay? Michael's not ready to leave us yet."  
  
She felt more than heard Moira's sigh of relief.  
  
"I'll be waiting," she replied.  
  
Jessie place the phone back in its cradle and closed her eyes. Her legs felt like jelly and she had to lean against the dresser to maintain her standing position.  
  
She thought about her dream.  
  
"Michael," she said. "Don't you dare leave us."  
  
*******************************  
  
He looked at the boy and sighed with impatience. Forcibly sharing a Wielder's personhood without his consent can be a little . . . difficult. He had be trying for the last hour to take control of the Wielder's form, but couldn't. Despite the fact that the Wielder had no proper training to utilize his skills, his inborn defenses were quite formidable. In another time and place, the ancient being might have been suitably impressed. But this is now and he was far from admiring. He was, what humans would call, justifiably frustrated.  
  
He will have to wait for the Wielder to regain his consciousness.  
  
Then, he will persuade him to come to his terms. One way or the other.  
  
********************************  
  
Jonny glanced at the wall in his bedroom. He had heard a soft thump coming from the other side of the wall and had been debating whether he should go see what was going on. Normally, he wouldn't have thought anything of just going over there and asking Jess what the noise was. Now was a different matter. He had spent the whole night wondering about the consequences of last night's actions. One of the reasons he had heard anything coming from Jessie's room at all was the fact that he had been awake to hear them in the first place. He had not slept. He had ceased to even try after a half hour of tossing and turning in his bed while calling himself every kind of idiot.  
  
And he was every kind of idiot to care for someone who refuses to care for him in return. Whenever he thought back to the party, he didn't know whether to just hit his head in the wall out of sheer frustration -- towards himself or Jessie, he had yet to figure out -- or grin foolishly at the remembrance of having kissed Jessie.  
  
He heard movements going on in the other side of the wall.  
  
Why would Jessie be awake at this hour? he thought to himself.  
  
He heard her open the door to her room.  
  
He listened to her footsteps as they walked past his own room. He sighed with disappointment at that. Then he heard them stop. If his calculations were correct, she would be in front of Hadji's bedroom door at this point.  
  
What the heck was going on here?!  
  
He got up his bed and walked to his door, listening for her movements against the wooden frame.  
  
He heard her try to knock softly on the door and call out Hadji's name.  
  
White-hot jealousy spread throughout him.  
  
What did she need to see Hadji for in the crack of dawn? What did she need to see Hadji for that excluded him? Was she and Hadji . . . No, ofcourse not. Otherwise he would have known by now. Hadji would have said something to him while he had been baring his soul about his feelings for Jessie. The two of them couldn't be . . . There must be a rational explanation behind Jessie's action.  
  
And he was just the person to find out.  
  
He opened the door to his room.  
  
  
  
********************************  
  
He looked at the images in the wall. They were together and Jeanette, he was sure, would have a fit if that fact penetrated her consciousness. Fortunately, he had her in . . . 'shutdown' mode right now. He really didn't want to have to deal with hysterics right now. He stared at the two conversing figures in the wall.  
  
They are the weakness, he thought. They will join us.  
  
*********************************  
  
"I'm not getting any answer," Jessie said perplexed. Hadji was one of the lightest sleepers she knew. Even in slumber, she always thought he seemed to still be conscious.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Jonny.  
  
Jessie had been more than surprised to see Jonny that early in the morning. He had come up behind her in the shadows and surprised her by his appearance. She had thought she had been the only one awake, especially after last night.  
  
"I mean he's not answering my knock," said Jessie.  
  
She tested the lock in the door and found it open. She turned the knob.  
  
"Hadji," she said softly.  
  
She opened the door widely and stared at the immaculate room. Everything seems to be in order except for the unmade bed. The covers were strewn all over the floor.  
  
"This isn't like Hadji," she heard Jonny say behind her. She glanced at him and saw him staring at the covers.  
  
"I know," said Jessie.  
  
She saw Jonny look at her.  
  
"What did you want with him, anyway?" he asked.  
  
"I . . ." began Jessie, "I wanted to tell him about Michael."  
  
She saw Jonny tense up at the mention of her boyfriend's -- she winced -- name. Just thinking about Michael brings up all sort of guilt over her treatment of him. She knew how he felt about her and, in the beginning, had thought she felt the same way. The passage of time, however, taught her differently. In truth, she had thought of him more like a big brother now. And she didn't know how to tell him. Now she didn't know whether she'd be able to tell him.  
  
Her new dilemma opened her eyes to what Hadji must have felt at the conservatory. She now had a new insight to that whole fiasco and can't help but admire the way her friend had tackled the situation -- head on.  
  
"What about Michael?" Jonny gritted through his teeth.  
  
Jessie stared at Jonny, debating on what to say.  
  
"Well?" persisted Jonny.  
  
She took a deep breath.  
  
"He's in the hospital," she said quietly.  
  
She saw Jonny's eyes widen with surprise and remorse.  
  
"Geez, Jess," he said. He approached her and put his arms around her. "What happened?"  
  
Jessie shrugged off him and faced him. She saw the look of hurt that crossed his face, but decided to ignore it. She will not be weak in front of him!  
  
"I . . . I don't know," she whispered. "Moira just called and I wanted to know if Hadji wanted to go with me to the hospital." She looked back at Hadji's bed. "And now Hadji's gone."  
  
The feeling of foreboding she felt when she talked to Moira on the phone returned tenfold. There's something . . . something not right here and she didn't know what. All she knew was that two of the most important people in her life are in . . . danger in one way or the other.  
  
"We better tell our fathers that Hadji is missing," she said.  
  
Jonny looked at her with understanding and confirmed her fears.  
  
"I think he's missing, too," he said. "There's something wrong here, Jess, and we're going to get to the bottom of it."  
  
They started heading toward the corridor when a bright light blinded them and that was the last thing they saw before losing consciousness.  
  
*********************************  
  
"I wanted to be the one to bring them here!" shouted Jeanette in her mind as she communicated with her . . . friend.  
  
"It's done," he said. "They will be at our hands in no time."  
  
She stomped her foot in a fit of pique.  
  
"I want to be the one to --" she began.  
  
"You will," he replied.  
  
A bright sphere began to materialize in front of them.  
  
"They're here," she said.  
  
"Now it begins," he said.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Revised December 29, 2001 


	7. Part Seven: The Face of Evil

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART SEVEN  
  
The Face of Evil  
  
"The horror! The horror!"  
  
Kurtz in "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad  
  
Jonny opened his eyes.  
  
Where the hell am I? he asked himself.  
  
He was lying down on a hard surface, looking at nothing. He tried to get up, but found that he was too weak. His body felt heavy and sluggish. He stifled a yawn and resisted the urge to close his eyes. He used his arms, almost useless as they were, to try and rise from his position. Bracing himself against the ground, he sat down and stared.  
  
He was above ground.  
  
He struggled to his feet and stood up with a great deal of difficulty. In fact, he was almost leaning for support to whatever it was that was him.  
  
Jonny shook his head, trying to see clearly in what looks like a dimly lit cavern. In fact he could hardly see five feet in front of him. And what he could see made him wonder if perhaps someone spiked the punch at Estella's party. He was floating. Rather, what he was in was floating. He felt at whatever it was that was enclosing him. It was smooth and circular, but invisible. He tested its strength by giving the invisible barrier a kick and ended up hurting himself instead.  
  
He shook himself. For some reason, he felt weak and groggy. Given his current condition, he wasn't surprised that his kick hardly affected the barrier.  
  
It was a pathetic attempt anyway, he thought. A four year old could have done better.  
  
He cursed under his breath. He was a couple of feet above ground and he had no idea how to get down. Since he saw no harness holding his prison from above, he tried to jump in hopes it will move just a bit downward.  
  
No such luck.  
  
He was well and truly trapped.  
  
"So you're finally awake," said a familiar voice below him.  
  
He turned to the voice, surprise clear in his expression.  
  
"Jeanette?" he said incredulously. "What's going on here?"  
  
He saw her pout her lips and cross her arms.  
  
"Not even a 'hello,' Jonny?" she asked in a mock hurt expression. "Is that the way to greet your girlfriend?"  
  
"Jeanette," he said in an even voice, "we both know just how ridiculous that title is."  
  
He saw her expression turn to genuine anger.  
  
Uh-oh, he thought. Maybe that wasn't the best course to take when she's free down there while I'm trapped up here.  
  
"That's right, Jonny Quest," she spat, "we do. What's the matter? Thought you were too good for me? Is that it?"  
  
"Wha--" sputtered Jonny, "Ofcourse not!" he shouted. What the hell is going on here? he wondered to himself.  
  
"It doesn't matter now anyway," she said in a sing-song voice. "By the time we're through, you're not going to be the most popular guy in school for long."  
  
"We?" he said. Who's we? he thought.  
  
"Don't worry, Jonny," she said. "We won't hurt you . . . much."  
  
He had to find a way to get out of this. Now.  
  
She turned from him and looked at the other direction. For the first time, he saw two other spheres in the cavern: one containing Hadji and the other, Jessie. While Hadji was fully conscious and was looking at him in return, Jessie was crumpled in a ball of heap inside her sphere.  
  
"Jonny!" croaked Hadji. "How are you, my friend?" Jonny had a feeling that Hadji meant to ask that question a little louder.  
  
"I'm alright!" Jonny shouted back. "So far," he muttered. He looked at Hadji and drew a breath. His friend looked physically drained. Dark circles were visible under his eyes. And something else . . . something in his friend's countenance betrayed an exhaustion that goes beyond what he could see.  
  
"Are you alright, Hadj?" he asked concerned.  
  
He wasn't sure, but he could have sworn Hadji grimaced.  
  
"As well as I could be, Jonny," Hadji replied.  
  
Worry marred his brow.  
  
He wanted to question his friend further, but he saw that Hadji's attention was directed at Jessie. He looked at Jessie, trying to make out her general welfare aside from the fact that she's unconscious.  
  
"Jessie!" he shouted. "Jessie!"  
  
He stared at Jessie, willing her to wake up. But ofcourse, she didn't.  
  
"Now as for her," he heard Jeanette say, "that's another matter entirely."  
  
He watched with dread as Jeanette's right hand start to glow and a bright ball of flame began to form.  
  
"Don't you dare hurt her," he said quietly.  
  
Jeanette looked at him and laughed. "Or you'll what?" she asked, amused. "Stomp your foot?" She gave him a smile of superiority. "I don't think you realize your position here, Jonny Quest. You are not in charge. You can't threaten me."  
  
With that, she turned from him and he watched with horror as she threw the ball of flame towards Jessie's sphere.  
  
"NO!" Jonny and Hadji said simultaneously.  
  
He pounded his fists to the clear barrier and watched helplessly as the ball engulfed Jessie's sphere and consume it, eating its way inside her.  
  
Oh God, he thought. Not Jessie. Not Jessie. NOT JESSIE DAMMIT!!!!!  
  
He watched as the fire got closer and closer to its victim.  
  
*Do something, Quest!*  
  
What can I do?  
  
He started pounding at his prison. The futility of his action made him groan with frustration.  
  
He watched as the flame touched Jessie's skin.  
  
Just when he thought he was about to witness Jessie's being scorched, the fire disappeared and Jessie's body fell to the ground, her leg twisting unnaturally in an odd angle.  
  
He saw Jessie slowly flutter her eyes open and let out a moan. Then blessed unconsciousness claimed her again.  
  
"Jessie," he said. His legs won't support him and they gave out from under him. His feeling of weakness increased tenfold. Kneeling, his fists pressed against the barrier, he said again, "Jessie."  
  
Different feelings churned within him, each warring to take control of his actions. The feeling of helplessness ate at his soul and formed a lump at his throat. Frustration at his immobility drove his fist to the barrier, breaking several of his knuckles. He felt the pain in the back of his mind, but anger at seeing Jessie in pain drove it from his mind.  
  
What was going on here? he thought. Since when can Jeanette do these things?  
  
"I can see you're confused," said Jeanette. "This is partly your fault, you know."  
  
He looked at her, the source of all this fiasco.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked in a gruff voice.  
  
"Well," said Jeanette reasonably, "if you hadn't gone and fallen in love with her instead of me, then maybe, just maybe mind you, Jessie and you won't be in this fix."  
  
He prayed for patience.  
  
"What do you mean by that?!" he shouted.  
  
He was never one for patience.  
  
Jeanette went still and looked at him with hatred.  
  
"You," she said, "are not to address me in such a manner," she continued in an almost different voice. "Your impudence is really quite astounding. You are not in control here. You should be begging me at this point, not trying to anger me."  
  
Jonny was about to give a scathing reply when he saw Hadji in the corner of his eye shake his head at him.  
  
"Not now, Jonny," said his best friend.  
  
Jeanette turned her back at him and walked towards Hadji.  
  
"Are we finally wising up, Hadji?" she asked.  
  
Jonny saw Hadji stare at Jeanette with loathing. He didn't think he'd ever seen Hadji look at anyone that way before.  
  
"I will never do as you ask," said Hadji vehemently.  
  
Please tell me I'm having a nightmare, Jonny thought to himself.  
  
"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we Hadji," said Jeanette in a matter-of-fact voice. "Now let's see, how should I begin this?"  
  
Jonny saw Jeanette walk over to Jessie's prone form.  
  
**************************  
  
"Wake up, Jessie," said a voice somewhere.  
  
She tried. She really tried to wake up. But there was this pain . . . whenever she tries to wake up, the pain threatens to overwhelm her.  
  
"I said wake up, Jessie," said Jeanette. This time Jessie felt someone touch her forehead.  
  
Jessie gave a small whimper of pain. She tried to fight the regaining of her consciousness, anything to avoid that pain, but slowly and surely she opened her eyes and found herself staring at unfamiliar surroundings.  
  
She immediately sat up, only to yelp in pain as she jarred her leg.  
  
She winced as she felt excruciating pain shoot up from her leg. For a second, all she could see were blurry images as tears formed in her eyes. Her hands blindly searched for the source of pain while she maintained her fetal position.  
  
"Oh," said the same voice. "You poor baby. Does the leg hurt?"  
  
Jessie looked through he pain glazed eyes at the direction of the voice.  
  
She saw a familiar blond-haired girl.  
  
Jeanette? she thought.  
  
She moved her hair away from her eyes and stared incredulously at Jonny's . . . friend.  
  
"Jeanette?" she rasped. "What are you doing here?" She looked around her. "What am I doing here for that matter?"  
  
Jeanette smiled.  
  
Jessie hated that smile.  
  
"Why Jessie," she said. "You're here to help me persuade someone."  
  
"Somehow," said gritted through her pain, "I get the feeling that there's a lot more than that."  
  
She looks at her surroundings again and saw Hadji and Jonny floating in a spherical shaped object. Both were looking at her with concern. She saw their mouths move, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. There was a loud buzzing in her ear that was growing progressingly louder by the second.  
  
Funny I didn't notice it before, she thought.  
  
"What's the matter Jessie?" said Jeanette's voice.  
  
In the back of her mind, she wondered why she can hear Jeanette's voice quite clearly.  
  
Jessie struggle to get up even with her leg.  
  
She saw, a second too late, a foot swiftly connecting with her mouth.  
  
Her whole body was flung against the wall. She slid down the wall and landed ignominiously. She looked at her legs in front of her. Her right leg was twisted in a most . . . difficult fashion.  
  
The pain was numbing her from feeling anything else.  
  
She felt something dribble down her cheek. She wiped it with the back of her hand and saw a red stain.  
  
A lethargic feeling swept through her as she felt blood rush through her head.  
  
What's going on here? she thought. Why am I so weak?  
  
Once again, she tried to get up.  
  
Jeanette, apparently, had other ideas.  
  
"Going somewhere Jessie?" she asked nicely. "We can't have that, now can we?"  
  
Jessie felt herself being lifted up by an unseen force.  
  
I can't move, she thought.  
  
Her limbs betrayed her as they stayed in their unmoving position.  
  
She felt herself being thrown.  
  
She willed her legs to move, her arms to assume a protective stance, but they didn't. She felt the her whole body hit the ground with a decisive thud.  
  
Oh, God, she thought.  
  
She didn't think she could hurt anymore.  
  
She was wrong.  
  
She took a deep breath and coughed. She tasted her blood.  
  
What's happening? she thought.  
  
It was as if her mind was processing in slow motion. Everything was happening so fast.  
  
Either that or I'm a little slow today, she thought.  
  
She looked up from her position. She can see Jonny and Hadji from where she was. They were each trapped in a bubble-typed barrier. Again, she saw their lips move, as if they were shouting. Again, she didn't hear them. The buzzing was still in her ears, although softer now.  
  
What are they trying to tell me? she thought. Why can't I hear them? Why can I hear Jeanette?  
  
She listened more closely to them.  
  
It was no use. Her other senses were flooding her brain with different sensory input. Most predominant of all was her feeling of pain. It blocked out all others. She tried to look at Jonny and Hadji again, but her vision was beginning to blur.  
  
She looked for her tormentor. She saw Jeanette just as she felt a kick on her stomach.  
  
More pain . . .  
  
Dammit! she thought. Why can't I fight? Why can't I stand up and fight her?  
  
She felt the weakness pervading her limbs. Her arms felt like lead weights. She felt a throbbing in her head.  
  
Get up, Bannon! she thought to herself. Can't let anyone see you like this. Can't let anyone see how weak you are. Can't let anyone . . . Can't let Hadji . . .Can't let Jonny . . . Can't let myself . . .  
  
She made her arms raise her body up and she saw Jeanette standing in front of her, staring at her with that familiar smile at her face.  
  
At that moment, she knew she was going to die.  
  
***************************  
  
Michael felt light. He was floating and it felt . . . nice. Very nice. He could spend his days like this forever.  
  
*Are you sure?*  
  
He pondered. He thought about his mother and his father and the family business he was so proud of. Suddenly he found himself staring at his father. His father was staring at someone in a bed.  
  
*He'll be okay,* the deep voice of his father said. * Michael is strong. He will fight this. He won't give up that easily.*  
  
"Ofcourse I'm okay," he said. "What's up, dad?"  
  
His father ignored him.  
  
He tried to touch his father.  
  
But couldn't.  
  
His hand went through. HIS HAND WENT THROUGH HIS FATHER.  
  
I have a bad feeling about this, he thought.  
  
He looked around for his mother then he found himself looking at his mother. She was also staring at someone in the bed.  
  
*I'm just so worried,* said her gentle voice. * Michael was always so . . . so alive, moving. He could never keep still. Do you remember the time he . . .*  
  
He could hear the pain in his mother's voice.  
  
"Mother," he said. "I'm here."  
  
She ignored him.  
  
"What's going on here?" he asked. "Mother, it's me, Michael."  
  
He tried to hug her from behind.  
  
But couldn't.  
  
His arms went through his mother.  
  
Confused, he looked at his hands for the first time. He can see through them.  
  
A feeling of dread settled in him.  
  
Where's Moira? he thought.  
  
And with that, he found himself looking at his sister from behind. Like his parents, his sister was talking to someone in the bed.  
  
*Michael* said her young voice. *Michael?*  
  
He approached her from behind.  
  
*Wake up, okay? Please? Don't make me have to hit you.*  
  
He looked beyond her and stared . . . and stared . . . and stared at the person in the bed.  
  
*You were supposed to drive me to the mall tomorrow, remember? If this is a ploy to get out of it, I swear I'm going to . . . You are the only brother I know who would go to so much trouble as to get in a coma just to avoid taking me shopping.*  
  
He was staring at himself. HE WAS STARING AT HIMSELF!!!  
  
*Michael, wake up right now!* sob *You never did listen to me.*  
  
He can see various tubes connected to himself at the bed.  
  
Oh God, he thought. What happened?  
  
*But Michael, I swear, Jessie is on her way over here and you wouldn't want her to catch you wearing nothing but a hospital gown, now, would you? Michael . . . *  
  
Jessie, he thought. Jessie . . .  
  
Memories came crashing down.  
  
The party . . . the kiss . . . the headlights on the wrong side of the road . . .  
  
But there's something more. Something important. A danger . . .  
  
He didn't know how he knew, but something deep inside him was urging him, insisting that he warn Jessie . . .  
  
He needed to go to her. There was something . . . something on the edge of his consciousness . . . pushing him to go to her as soon as he can. He had to warn her . . .  
  
Warn her from what? he thought to himself.  
  
He felt himself being pulled . . . somewhere. He tried to look around him, at his surroundings, but everything turned into a blur. When everything cleared again he found himself staring at a scene from a nightmare.  
  
He saw Jessie, gasping for breath on all fours, struggling to get up from her prone form. In front of her stood another girl. He stared at the girl. She was laughing as Jessie's arms collapsed from under her.  
  
Jeanette? he thought. What the hell?  
  
He ran to Jessie and tried to pick her up. Again, his hands went through.  
  
Not now! he thought. Not now, dammit!  
  
By now, he can see Jessie's face clearly and he gasped. The beginnings of numerous bruises were starting to form around her right cheek and her left eye. In fact, her left eye was already partly shut.  
  
"Jessie," he said, his voice cracking.  
  
She never heard him.  
  
But Jeanette did.  
  
He finally turned his attention to Jeanette, who was looking at him with an amused expression.  
  
*Well, well, well* said a voice in his head. *It seems we have a lost soul in our midst.*  
  
Michael looked around. "Who said that?" he asked.  
  
Jeanette knelt next to him and Jessie and continued to look at him.  
  
*I did* said the voice in his head.  
  
"Jeanette?" he said. "What the hell is going on here?"  
  
She smiled. *We're just having a little fun here* she said in his head. She stood up again and looked at her right.  
  
"Well, Hadji," she said. "Do you think Jessie's suffered enough?"  
  
He finally noticed the shouting that was going on from both his right and left side.  
  
Michael looked at the direction Jeanette spoke to and saw the person being addressed. Hadji was suspended on air in a glowing, spherical bubble. He was on his knees, his face streaked with tears.  
  
"Let her go," Hadji said in a raspy voice, caused by too much abuse to the vocal chords.  
  
"Jessie!" he heard someone shout from the other side of the room. "Oh, God, Jessie!"  
  
He saw Jonny Quest pounding his fist to the barrier of his prison, calling futilely to the girl in front of him. The mixture of anger and frustration on Jonny's face reminded him of what he was feeling.  
  
He kneeled in front of Jessie and tried to touch her face.  
  
He saw her look up at him . . . to him.  
  
"Jessie," he said. "Can you see me?"  
  
He saw her shook her head, as if to physically clear her thoughts. Her hands tried to rub her eyes, but he could see that she was only making her vision worse by accidentally rubbing dirt into them, too.  
  
"Michael," she said softly.  
  
"Jessie!" he said, elated that she saw him.  
  
"Must be dreaming," said Jessie.  
  
"Well Hadji," said a voice above them. "What is it to be?"  
  
"No!" Jessie tried to shout, but it came up as a murmur.  
  
Michael looked back at her and found her almost talking to herself.  
  
"Whatever she wants, Hadji," she whispered. "Don't give it to her!"  
  
A series of coughs wracked her body. She was wheezing by this time.  
  
He saw the light in her eyes dying.  
  
"Jessie," she said urgently, "Jessie."  
  
A confused look entered her face.  
  
"Jessie," he said again. "Don't give up."  
  
*****************************  
  
He felt invigorated. The energy from the Bannon girl was unique. Just a small amount had given him such a . . . rush. And he wasn't able to stop himself from taking more. A lot more. In fact, he had almost . . . killed her. Jeanette's consciousness was what stopped him near the end. He couldn't believe it. He had almost forgotten the all of what he had planned for a moment of . . .  
  
He couldn't find words to describe the feeling. Not in this primitive language.  
  
He watched through Jeanette's eyes as the girl tried, without success, to raise herself from her position.  
  
So much fire, he thought.  
  
He now understood what was it about her Jeanette hated so much. It was her love for life, her effervescence. Her soul. It was such a contradiction of what Jeanette's was.  
  
And Jeanette had felt threatened by this.  
  
Not that he cared. Right now, it was imperative that the Wielder willingly surrender the use of his powers to him. With that power, he can open a very special portal. A portal that would draw the Council's attention and have them entering this part of the galaxy in order to shut it. And that was when he would have his revenge. Sweet revenge.  
  
******************************  
  
Hadji Singh stared at the nightmare before him. He tried to shut his eyes from the horrific scene, tried to distance himself from the anguish that started flooding his senses the moment he realized that his friends are here with him, suffering.  
  
*It is all you're fault*  
  
He had ceased to differentiate between the voice of Jeanette in his head and the voice of his own conscience. Right now, they are both saying the same thing.  
  
*It is all you fault*  
  
**FLASHBACK . . . to a very recent past**  
  
Hadji opened his eyes slowly. He did not know what it is that prompted him to wake up so early, but whatever it was, he could not help but feel a slight resentment over his disturbed slumber. The past week had been a series of . . .  
  
Why do I have a feeling that I have done this before? he thought. There is something different, however, about this this . . .  
  
He glanced at his surroundings. A nagging feeling tugged at his consciousness.  
  
This is definitely not the Quest Compound, he thought.  
  
He was inside a cavern and his body was floating in a spherical prison, which happened to have a very solid feel to it.  
  
"You're awake," said a feminine voice below him.  
  
Jeanette?  
  
"Jeanette," he said. "What is the meaning of this?"  
  
He saw Jeanette smile at him and say, "I need a favor, Hadji."  
  
Hadji observed the sphere which imprisoned him. "Perhaps it might be wise to consider that imprisoning someone is not exactly the best way to ask for a favor," he said evenly.  
  
"Oh, that," said Jeanette nonchalantly. "Well, that wasn't my idea, but he insisted."  
  
Hadji looked around. He found no one else in the cavern with them.  
  
He noticed Jeanette look at him peculiarly, amused.  
  
"Silly," she said. "You can't see him. He's inside me."  
  
Hadji stared at her in surprise. That's when the nagging feeling hit him full force. He did not know why he did not notice it before, but the feeling of evil . . . it is present within the girl standing in front of him.  
  
"What . . .?" he said.  
  
Again she smiled at his confusion.  
  
"That's alright, Hadji," she said. "You don't have to understand anything. Just give him what he wants and --"  
  
He saw her eyes glaze over.  
  
"It is really quite simple," she said in a controlled voice. "You will surrender your soul to me and you will be rewarded with quick and painless death."  
  
He looked at her closely. There is a difference in her manner . . .  
  
"I do not succumb to threats," he said with all the dignity he could muster under the circumstances.  
  
"Are you quite sure about that?" she asked. "Perhaps this is the time to quote a well-known human cliché. I do not make threats, only promises."  
  
That's when Hadji felt the pain in his head. It teased his senses . . . promising to give more. It did not start out as much of anything at first, but time multiplied it intensity in tremendous proportions. Soon, not just his head throbbed, but his whole being. He tried to control it, to use his years of training to separate his mind from his body and distance himself from the excruciating pain which started to pervade his being. He had succeeded at first, but the effort drained him of energy and the input of pain kept coming.  
  
He gripped his head, now bare of his turban, and bent down.  
  
Do not give in, he told himself. Do NOT give in.  
  
His skin felt hot.  
  
He was on fire.  
  
He looked at himself and noticed no flames.  
  
It is all in your mind, he told himself.  
  
"Is it?" asked Jeanette.  
  
Hadji felt himself double over as the burning in his chest started to spread.  
  
He felt as if he were a mass of pain and nothing else.  
  
Ignore the pain, he told himself.  
  
His vision started to blur. His breathing became constricted. He gasped for air.  
  
Then suddenly, everything stopped.  
  
Relief.  
  
"Now," said Jeanette. "Perhaps you are more amicable about surrendering yourself --"  
  
"Never!" he spat after taking a deep breath. "I do not know who or what you are, but you will not have your way in this."  
  
He saw Jeanette frown. He was not sure, but he was almost certain her eyes glowed.  
  
Then he found himself in a place in his past.  
  
** "The Sultan of Bangalore has passed away," he heard a voice say.  
  
An ache filled his heart at the reiteration of something he already knew.  
  
A young Hadji crouched in the corner and watched the proceedings as people around the palace cried out their grief. He saw his mother looking out of a window and he walked towards her. He tugged at her dress.  
  
He saw her look at him and give him a sad smile. She knelt down beside him and took him in her embrace . . .  
  
Hadji's face clouded as he realize that Anaya had used him to steal the falcon. He struggled with the ropes which bound him and watched as Jessie and Jonny do the same. How could he have been so stupid. He should have seen through her. Jessie had been suspicious of her from the start. He should have listened to her . . .  
  
Hadji watched with horror as the creature -- the one he knew as Elise -- grabbed Jessie and flew across the river. He ran towards them, his heart in his throat, trying desperately to catch up, but his legs will not follow his command. He watched helplessly as . . .  
  
A young Hadji curls up in a pallet crying for something . . . someone . . . someone who was not there. He looks around at the unfamiliar place and yearns for that soft voice . . .  
  
Hadji stood behind the school bleachers watching as Jessie gave Michael a long kiss in front of the crowd after he crossed the finished line. His fingers gripped the bar tightly, turning his knuckles white, contrasting with his dark skin . . .  
  
Hadji walked towards the parking lot, thinking about the scene he witnessed in one of the classrooms. Jessie and Michael . . .  
  
Hadji cries out into the night, calling for someone. Pasha comes into the room and tries to comfort the distraught boy, but his keening wails continue until dawn touches the sky . . . **  
  
Hadji blinked and saw Jeanette standing in front of him.  
  
"Do you want more, Hadji?" she asked.  
  
Hadji stared at hard at the woman . . . no, monster who brought him to this place. Jeanette had made him relive the darkest moments of his life. He had been there . . . in the past . . . experiencing everything for the second time around. The grief he had felt over his father's death and the anguish that took hold of his heart when he was taken from his home had overwhelmed him. It was as if time never healed the sorrow. He felt a renewed pain in the region of his heart, tormenting his soul. Misery clouded his consciousness.  
  
The world is a dark and lonely place, he thought.  
  
Again, images of Jessie and Michael, of Jessie and Jonny danced in his mind.  
  
*You threw away the best thing you could have had in your lifetime, Singh*  
  
He tried to push his feelings of jealousy out of his mind.  
  
*How does it feel to know that it could have been you with her?*  
  
Control, he thought. Control.  
  
He heard a laugh.  
  
"Very good, Hadji," Jeanette said. "But how long do you think you can hold out?"  
  
Hadji looked with hatred at the source of his torment, his mind momentarily distracted from its painful journey.  
  
"For as long as it takes, Jeanette," he said. "For as long as it takes."  
  
He saw her smile a secret smile.  
  
"Do you love her, Hadji?" she asked.  
  
Hadji refused to respond.  
  
"You do not have to answer," she said. "I know."  
  
Silence.  
  
"You would not want to see her hurt, would you, Hadji?" Jeanette probed.  
  
Hadji's look of hatred intensified.  
  
"If you ever, ever do anything to hurt her," he began.  
  
"Oh I will," said Jeanette. "But do not worry. You will get to watch it all."  
  
And he did.  
  
He watched helplessly as Jessie nearly burned to her death.  
  
He watched as her leg twisted at her fall.  
  
He watched as Jeanette gave each blow to Jessie's helpless form.  
  
He watched, unable to do anything but scream his horror, his anguish at the sight. His throat felt raw and his knuckles were bleeding from the abuse he had given them when he started punching the sphere.  
  
In the end, he begged.  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
He felt the bile rise from his throat again as the scene before him started embedding itself to his mind, to be forever remembered.  
  
"Well, Hadji," said Jeanette, "what is it to be?"  
  
Hadji almost choked at his fury and frustration. Jeanette knew very well what is it to be. He had been screaming at the top of his lungs for her to stop hurting Jessie. He had screamed that he would give in . . . that he would do anything, anything she had asked for, including the sacrificing of his soul . . . and yet she continued with her torture. He had yelled out his begging. He had shredded his pride, but to no avail. Jeanette had continued physically abusing Jessie. He thought she would go on forever. Truth be told, the past several hours had seemed like forever.  
  
He looked at Jessie's crumpled form. He would never forgive himself for what happened to her today. If only he had capitulated sooner. Maybe then she would not be in this predicament.  
  
"What's going on here!?" he heard his friend yell in a raspy voice.  
  
He looked at Jonny and his haggard appearance.  
  
"Hadji," he said, "what does she want?"  
  
He did not respond immediately. He did not know whether he wanted Jonny to know his shame. He did not know whether he wanted Jonny to know it was he, Hadji Singh, who was the cause of all this. In the end, however, he could no more lie to his best friend than he could to himself.  
  
"My soul, Jonny," he said softly, "she wants my soul."  
  
*******************************  
  
Jonny stared at his friend, trying to grasp the implications of what Hadji just told him. From what he could understand, there are only two choices: Jessie's life or Hadji's life.  
  
He had been struggling with his ignorance of the whole situation from the very beginning. He didn't know where Jeanette got her new abilities. He didn't know that she had an intense dislike for Jessie and him -- until now, ofcourse. He didn't know what role Hadji played in the whole scheme of things. He didn't know what it was Jeanette wanted from Hadji that she had to torture him to get it -- until now. He didn't know what it was Hadji refused to give up until too late -- until now. What's more, he didn't know that Hadji loved Jessie as much as he did -- until now.  
  
The choices were clear. He just didn't know if any of the three of them would survive what happened here. And if for some miracle, they did, he didn't know whether they would survive the aftermath. Because right now, he didn't know what he wanted Hadji to do.  
  
Did he want Hadji to give his life for Jessie?  
  
Would Jessie want that of Hadji?  
  
For the first time in his life, he has to admit that he didn't know anything.  
  
And it scared him.  
  
*Snap out of it, Quest!*  
  
Who said that?! he thought.  
  
*Jessie always said how you can be depended on to get them out of the scrapes you usually got them into*  
  
Jonny looked around him to see if there is another person in the room with them.  
  
He found no one.  
  
*Get them out of this one*  
  
"But I don't know how," he whispered. He felt the weakness of his limbs. "I don't know how to stop her. I don't even know where to begin."  
  
*********************************  
  
Hadji could see the conflict in Jonny's eyes.  
  
It matters not, he thought. He had made his decision. His soul for Jessie's.  
  
In a way, it was a selfish decision on his part. He did not think he could face life and the people around him if something ever happened to Jessie. He had a feeling that he would be dead inside, one way or the other.  
  
*********************************  
  
He smiled. These humans are foolish to let one person be so important to them in their lives. He had thought, at first, that the Wielder would be made of much sterner stuff. When he -- correction, when Jeanette -- decided to have her little fun, however, he could see that the Wielder is like the rest. He is ruled by his emotions. The Wielder had begged him for the life and well-being of the Bannon girl.  
  
But it's too late. The Bannon girl's life force is leaving her body bit by bit. She won't last much longer. The Wielder, however, did not need to know that now. Not when he so willingly offered his person to him.  
  
He laughed at the Wielder's ignorance. By giving him the power to control his soul, the Wielder failed to realize that he has given him the power to destroy the world, the universe -- not just the girl he had tried so hard to protect.  
  
He walked towards the Wielder and released him from his prison. He stared at his eyes. The Wielder is so willing . . .  
  
Just in time, too. The energy from his owning Jeanette's soul had been approaching the lower end of the scale due to all this work. The Wielder's soul, however . . .  
  
Black smoke engulfed both of them.  
  
*********************************  
  
Jessie watched from her prone position as Hadji and Jeanette were surrounded by swirls of black. She had tried to cry out, to demand that Hadji not do this, but nothing came from her voice.  
  
She knew exactly what Hadji was doing. He was trying to protect her, Jessie Bannon. While she was grateful in one sense, she was also furious in another. She was furious with herself for being put into this position that somebody actually had to come and rescue her. She was not a damsel in distress. She was a Bannon and a Velasquez. The people of her family can take care of themselves and that included her.  
  
She sobbed at the thought of her helplessness, of how her body -- after all its training -- had betrayed her.  
  
She watched as Hadji's form was completely engulfed with the black swirls.  
  
If she could, she would have shouted with frustration. She would have yelled and screamed and kicked. She would have done anything to stop what was happening.  
  
But she couldn't.  
  
She felt so weak.  
  
Oh, God, she thought. Hadji, don't do this!!  
  
She thought back to her school girl crush on one of her best friends.  
  
Come back, Hadji, she thought. Don't let her take you!  
  
*Please, Jessie, don't give up*  
  
Funny, she thought. She could have sworn she could hear Michael talking to her right now.  
  
*I love you, Jessie*  
  
Michael? she thought. Or Hadji?  
  
She tried to shake her head in a futile attempt to clear her thoughts.  
  
A jumble of voices filled her head all of them calling her name.  
  
She felt sleepy . . . so sleepy.  
  
*Please, please, Jessie*  
  
She felt tired . . . so tired.  
  
*Don't leave me*  
  
She stifled a yawn.  
  
*Fight it*  
  
Her eyes closed.  
  
*Fight it, dammit!*  
  
********************************  
  
Michael stared a the girl before him. He had ceased to care about what was happening to Jeanette and the rest. All his attention was with Jessie.  
  
He had watched as the light in her eyes started to dim. He knew it was only a matter of time.  
  
********************************  
  
He could feel it. The rush of energy flooding his being, seeping through all that was him.  
  
It is not long now.  
  
He would open the portal.  
  
The Guardians would come and he . . . he would have his revenge.  
  
*********************************  
  
Jonny watched as the black smoke that engulfed his friend disappear. He watched as Hadji stepped away from Jeanette and Jeanette crumpled into the ground. He watched as Hadji -- no, not Hadji, someone with Hadji's body -- emitted a blue light in his hand.  
  
The light intensified, brightening the cavern.  
  
Jonny watched as Hadji stretched his arm and pointed his hand into the wall of the cavern.  
  
He watched as a bright beam of blue light was released from Hadji's palm and was shot straight into the wall.  
  
In the wall, an opening began to form.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Revised December 29, 2001 


	8. Part Eight: A Heart of Darkness

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART EIGHT  
  
A Heart of Darkness  
  
"I looked at him as you peer down at a man who is lying at the bottom of a precipice where the sun never shines."  
  
Marlow in "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad.  
  
  
  
Michael felt weird. The moment the opening in the wall had appeared, he had felt a . . . stirring. A calling, if you will. It was as if there was something there . . .  
  
He shook himself. He was being fanciful. He didn't know what that . . . thing has planned, but whatever it was, he'd be damned if he'd let it succeed. If he had to make it his life's -- or death's, now that you think about it -- goal to deter it from any form of satisfaction, he will.  
  
He looked back at the girl in front of him. Her breathing is shallow and she had started coughing up blood. He wanted to touch her, to smooth her hair back to her face and cradle her in his arms, but his form prevented him. He hated this physical nothingness. He didn't even know what he was. Is he a ghost? Or just another person in a different plane of existence?  
  
Should have paid more attention to Sunday school, he thought. Then, maybe, there's an answer there somewhere.  
  
He never really thought of the concept of a soul before. Sure he went to church and all, but for the most part, he did it to please his parents. He never thought about the afterlife or anything like that.  
  
"Well, you are now," he told himself, looking at his transparent form.  
  
Suddenly, the light that emanated from the wall caught his attention. Whatever it was that thing wanted, it seems it was beginning to achieve it.  
  
*******************************  
  
There it was, he thought as he stared at the opening he created. The thread that holds the universe together. He smiled inwardly. It was ironic to think that the whole cosmos were held together by this one single thread, no thicker than the ones the humans use for needlepoint. Ofcourse, this was a special thread. Almost indestructible, in fact, with the exception of one thing. Legend has it that only a heart so dark, a soul so black, a mind of hate, and a life of evil can overcome and break the bonds that hold literally everything in the universe together. Well, he considers himself to be a candidate for all of those categories and now is the time to see if there is any truth to those legends.  
  
He watched the display of lights that surrounded the thread. Since the Guardians of the universe never considered that a Wielder might want to destroy this precious link, they had left it virtually unprotected. An oversight in their part, really.  
  
When the opening in the wall reached a diameter of seven feet, he stopped widening it even more and just stared at his prize.  
  
Soon, he thought. Soon.  
  
Finding no further use for the Wielder's body, he immediately discarded it and took his own form.  
  
*********************************  
  
Jonny watched as Hadji's body crumpled in the floor and another being began to form. He watched and gasped as this thing, this evil thing, was one of the most beautiful phenomena he had ever seen. The form, almost as if it were made by an array of lights converging at one point, began to take the shape of a human, if not the features of one.  
  
He felt the sphere that held him collapse and he braced himself for a fall. He hit the ground with a decided thud, but he quickly sprang into his feet and ran towards Jessie. Her condition hadn't looked good from afar and now that he got nearer, he realized that his distance deceived him. Jessie's condition was much worse than he had thought. He began checking for her vital signs.  
  
He knelt beside her and tried to lift her head into his lap, but he noticed her wince and he stopped.  
  
"Jessie," he said softly. "Please, Jessie."  
  
He saw her try to open her eyes and finally succeed.  
  
"J . . . Jon . . . Jonny," she rasped.  
  
She began coughing uncontrollably and he watched in horror as he realized the full extent of her injuries. His heart began pounding loudly and a feeling of dread began to take over his consciousness.  
  
He saw her eyes glaze over. "Jessie," he said urgently. He brushed her hair off her face and tried to force her to meet his eyes. "Jessie," he said again, "stay with me here. Please."  
  
He watched as she tried to say something. He leaned nearer to hear her words.  
  
"Pro . . . promise me," she whispered.  
  
"Anything," he told her.  
  
"S . . .s-s-stop her," she said.  
  
He knew she was talking about Jeanette and the thing that possessed her. That same thing that got into Hadji. He watched her labored breathing and said, "Anything for you, Jess. Anything for you."  
  
He saw her try to smile, but ended up grimacing. She tried to lift her right arm towards his face so he took it for her and held her hand against his cheek.  
  
********************************  
  
She can vaguely see Jonny's face as he leaned down on her.  
  
'Anything for you,' he had said.  
  
She could hear the trembling in his voice when he said that and she knew she was in a bad way. She's beginning to lose feeling in certain parts of her body and although she welcomed the cessation of pain, she also knew that at least in pain, she knew she was still alive. Now, she was just . . . drifting.  
  
She felt her palm touch her cheek. Despite her blurry vision, he was close enough for her to see tears beginning to form in his eyes.  
  
"That bad, huh?" she tried to say, but ended up mouthing some garbled sound.  
  
He leaned further down and kissed her on her forehead, his lips lingering for a long time. In that moment, she felt all the love he had tried to give her flood her being.  
  
She had been so stupid. Stupid and scared. He was right when he called her a coward the night before. She had been a coward. She was afraid to take a chance. She was afraid of getting hurt and now . . . Now it's too late. Too damn late. There's no time . . .  
  
He lifted his head and stared into her eyes.  
  
She drowned in those blue pools of love and with all the strength she had left, she said, "I love you."  
  
*********************************  
  
Jonny's eyes widened. He stared at her disbelievingly at first. Then for some inexplicable reason, he felt anger well up in his chest.  
  
"No," he said. "No, damn you! Why now?! Why not then?!"  
  
The words, 'when we had the time,' were left unsaid.  
  
He saw her flinch at his tone, but he couldn't help his anger. He couldn't help feeling cheated at the moments they could have spent together. It was as if someone gave him a gift he had been wanting for a long time, only to have it snatched away. It was then that he realized that, deep inside, he knew Jessie was dying. And he hated himself for it. He hated his inability to do anything, his so-called involvement with Jeanette, his helplessness at the whole situation. But most of all, he hated the fact that he had given up on Jessie's surviving. Some people would call it realistic, but then, he had never been realistic. He had always hoped for the best. His optimism had helped them all through some tough situations.  
  
*And it's going to help you now*  
  
Jonny looked up.  
  
*Live for the moment, Jonny*  
  
He saw no other person.  
  
*Before it's too late*  
  
He stared at Jessie.  
  
There's so little time, he thought. So little time left.  
  
He wrapped her in his arms and cradled her tightly against his chest. He felt the tears fall from his eyes and cursed fate.  
  
*****************************  
  
Jessie felt tears form in her own eyes, too. She felt the warmth of being in his arms, and reveled in it even as she felt herself drifting off.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered.  
  
*****************************  
  
'I'm sorry,' she had said.  
  
"Don't be," he said. He tightened his embrace. "Everything's going to be alright."  
  
*****************************  
  
"Liar," she said.  
  
"I love you," he said.  
  
"I know," she said. "I know."  
  
She felt herself float in the air and a bright light claimed her.  
  
*****************************  
  
Jonny felt it when her last breath left her body, but he continued to hold her, his mind trying to deny what his eyes already told him.  
  
'I know,' she had said, 'I know.'  
  
He closed his eyes and tightened his embrace one last time, then gently laid her down the ground. Slowly, he stood up and stared at the scene in front of him, a scene he had tried to put at the back of his mind, a scene he had hoped was a nightmare.  
  
Since that . . . thing wasn't doing anything yet but stare at that opening he created, Jonny decided to go to Hadji first before dealing with the creature.  
  
He found his friend lying in the ground staring at nothing. He kneeled down and said, "Hadji."  
  
No response.  
  
"Hadji," he said urgently.  
  
He won't respond, you know  
  
He turned his head and so the creature facing him.  
  
To be more specific, he cannot respond. He is nothing more than a vegetable now  
  
Jonny felt his fists clench and, without thinking, sprang to his feet, intent on attacking this . . . thing when he felt himself lifted from the ground and hurled into a wall. Hitting his head, he sat for a while, trying to get his bearings.  
  
You will not interfere  
  
Again, Jonny got up in his feet and continued his futile attempts to attack the being only to be thrown back again and again.  
  
You are being quite a pest  
  
Jonny, bleeding, bruised, spat back, "You took away the best things in my life!"  
  
It will not matter in the whole scheme of things  
  
Jonny saw it step into the opening in the wall. He watched, exhausted, as the being wrapped itself around . . . something. Just then, he felt the ground begin to shake violently. He tried to stand from his position, but the shaking jarred him back.  
  
Jessie, he thought. Hadji. I'm sorry.  
  
*****************************  
  
Michael had watched a transparent Jessie leave her body. He had thought she would see him, hear him, but she didn't. For some reason, that part of her didn't linger on earth like he did. He saw as a blinding flash of light enveloped her. The last expression on her face was serenity.  
  
He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret and envy. Regret because he was, for all intents and purposes, alone and envy because of the peace she found.  
  
Why am I still here? he thought.  
  
Another jolting shake of the ground startled him out of his self- pity.  
  
He looked around and saw Jonny struggling to his feet, trying to reach Jessie and Hadji. There was something in his eyes . . . or maybe not. Maybe that's it. There was nothing in Jonny's eyes. It had an empty, vacant look to it. The look of man who's world just collapsed from under him.  
  
Just then, a sound in the other side of the room caught his attention. A glowing line seems to have been drawn on air. It widened until it almost resembled a door.  
  
He looked closer and saw something approach from the other side.  
  
He gasped. Their forms are very much similar to the one that being took.  
  
*******************************  
  
They're here, he thought. And they're too late. Too late.  
  
He could feel his presence even as he felt the thread drain all that was him. He could feel the world literally collapsing even as his essence pours itself out.  
  
They were too late.  
  
The only thing he regretted was that he could never see the look of utter defeat in their auras.  
  
A small price to pay for the destruction of everything that is.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****  
  
Revised December 29, 2001 


	9. Part Nine and the Epilogue

The Heart of Darkness  
  
by Akane-Rei  
  
PART NINE  
  
A Choice of Salvation  
  
"The reality -- the reality, I tell you -- fades."  
  
Marlow in 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad.  
  
Jonny tried to take a defensive stance once he saw other more of that . . . thing begin to appear out of nowhere. The violent shaking of the ground, however, defeated his attempts and his staggered to in his feet like a drunken sailor.  
  
He watched as they moved towards the opening in the wall.  
  
"What the hell do you want?" he demanded of them, anguish lacing his voice. "You've taken away everything."  
  
They ignored him and continued to peruse the opening.  
  
Rocks begin falling from the ceiling as the ground shook some more. The whole cavern seemed to be on the verge of collapse.  
  
Hell, he thought, his whole world seems to be collapsing.  
  
He dodged a few more of the falling rocks and looked around. In the corner of his eye, he saw Jessie's unprotected body lying on the ground. Precariously lifting Hadji's prone body to his shoulders, he made his way to her direction. After placing Hadji in the safest corner he could find, given their situation, he went back and carried Jessie in his arms, cradling her lifeless body in his chest.  
  
I'll put this to right, Jessie, he thought. I'll do it if it's the last thing I do.  
  
He laid her gently beside Hadji and turned to see what those . . . things were up to.  
  
They were still by the opening.  
  
He crawled towards their direction, intent on making them pay for what happened to Jess, to what happened to Hadji. One way or another he was going to get some answers out of this whole fiasco.  
  
*********************************  
  
*How could he have opened this?*  
  
He found a Wielder in this primitive world  
  
*The Wielder never stood a chance*  
  
He has already integrated himself to the thread  
  
*He knew we were coming*  
  
Revenge  
  
*All these years he planned his revenge*  
  
We should have done more to stop him  
  
*How were we to know this would happen*  
  
It has been over five billion years  
  
*The legend is true*  
  
We need to counteract his presence in the thread before it breaks  
  
*We only have one of the ingredients*  
  
A life offered in sacrifice  
  
*We still need a soul of light*  
  
And a heart so pure  
  
*And a mind of laughter*  
  
We cannot offer those ourselves since we do not possess them  
  
*Then we cannot stop what he initiated*  
  
Then all is doomed  
  
"Hey, you!"  
  
For the first time since the Guardians arrived there, they looked at the native that kept addressing them. To their surprise, they also saw a soul standing beside this person.  
  
*The owner of the soul . . .*  
  
Has a mind of laughter . . .  
  
*And a heart so pure*  
  
Then they stared at the person, possibilities running through their minds.  
  
*He must be probed*  
  
Deflecting the falling particles, they approached the boy, a child really. He looked at them, anger in his eyes. He stood protectively in front of two other individuals, one of whose life signs are gone, and another whose signs are weak.  
  
*Do not be afraid*  
  
*We are not here to hurt you*  
  
"Could have fooled me!"  
  
*We are not ones who did this atrocity*  
  
"Oh, yeah? So I guess you have no idea who that thing is in that opening, huh?"  
  
His sarcasm is not needed at this time  
  
It is, however, not unwarranted  
  
*Please,* they sent out to him, *you must listen*  
  
"Get off my head!" he screamed at them.  
  
We must have patience  
  
He's our only chance  
  
*******************************  
  
Jonny would have screamed in frustration if he could. As it is, his throat was raw from all the shouting he did when Jessie was . . . No. He promised himself he wouldn't think about that. Not yet.  
  
"Would this form of communication suit you better?" they asked.  
  
This time, he heard them ask the question. Amazing, there are over ten of them yet they spoke as one.  
  
"Why?" he asked softly. "What did we ever do to you?" He looked at the bodies of his two friends and felt an emotion rise up to overwhelm him.  
  
"Do you realize what he has done when he entered the opening?" they asked him, breaking his thoughts.  
  
"Do I care?" he replied hoarsely.  
  
"You should," they snapped back. "He just triggered the end of the known universe."  
  
Jonny looked at them disbelievingly.  
  
"Do you not feel the ground shaking? The tides will begin to rise along the coasts of your world. The eruptions of volcanoes will take place. Severe weather conditions are to be expected. All of this, happening at the same time. Do you think your people will survive? And if they do, will they survive the death of all the stars, including your sun?"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"We are talking about the thread that holds the universe together," they replied. "It is being broken as we speak."  
  
Jonny looked at them in amazement. "Really," he said with an edge in his voice. "Well, why, may I ask, aren't you stopping that psycho from your species from doing it?!"  
  
"We cannot."  
  
Jonny tried counting to ten before exploding. He failed. "Why the hell not?!" he demanded. "If I'm not mistaken, that thing who is responsible for the mess right now is from your species. What he can do, you guys should be able to do. So what's the problem?"  
  
He could have sworn he saw them shift uncomfortably.  
  
"We do not have the necessary . . . ingredients to counteract his actions. You must understand that our powers are indirectly linked to the thread. As long as there is a universe to protect, then we can do anything. The weakening of the thread weakens our powers because it signals the end of the universe which we are suppose to protect. Without the universe, we have nothing. It is paradoxical in one way."  
  
Jonny waited for them to continue.  
  
"We saw your aura. You have the one other ingredient we need."  
  
Jonny was silent. The shaking of the ground is now accompanied by a booming noise from above.  
  
"Your love for your friends illuminated your soul. You have a soul of light."  
  
Jonny struggled to make sense out of everything. Jeannette. Those beings What happened to Hadji and Jessie.  
  
"Just tell me one thing," he said softly, his eyes turning to stare back at his prone friends. "Why?" He clenched his fists. "Why did that monster do what he did? What did we ever do to deserve this . . ."  
  
"You have done nothing," they replied.  
  
There was a momentary pause. "Perhaps it is better if you see . . ."  
  
Images flooded Jonny's mind. Scenes from a different time and a very different world . . .  
  
A being, forced to bow before a Council, kneels in the middle of the room. This being, like the Council, has somewhat the shape of a human, but their texture are like glass. It was as if a kaleidoscope of light passes through them. They were beautiful.  
  
"You have no right to do this to me!" spat the being in the center of the room.  
  
The Council stared at him, through him actually.  
  
This seem to anger him even more.  
  
Then the Council spoke as one.  
  
"For your crimes against nature," said their disembodied, but unified, voices, "you are banished from your home world . . ."  
  
The man struggled against his unseen chains.  
  
The Council winced at this attempt but continued, "Sentenced to forever be trapped in a carbon cylinder . . ."  
  
The man pauses, as if feeling something in the very air he breathed.  
  
"All the while retaining your full consciousness . . ."  
  
From the way he was reacting, an invisible force seems to surround him.  
  
"Your cylinder will be ejected from our galaxy and hurled as far away as possible . . ."  
  
He can see the being try another attempt at struggling.  
  
"This is the judgment of the Guardians . . ."  
  
The cylinder began rise, taking the life form with it. The cylinder has rendered the being immobile.  
  
"Execution of sentence will take place in five counts . . ."  
  
All the life form could do is stare down at those responsible for his predicament.  
  
"Five . . ."  
  
Jonny can see the lights reflected upon the alien shift in colors . . .  
  
"Four . . ."  
  
Jonny can see the brightness dimming . . .  
  
"Three . . ."  
  
Jonny can see the light shrinking . . .  
  
"Two . . ."  
  
Jonny can see a blackness beginning to form within the being.  
  
"One . . ."  
  
Growing . . .  
  
"Execute."  
  
Until no light was left . . .  
  
The cylinder shoots up to the heavens towards an unknown destination.  
  
The images stopped.  
  
Jonny looked at the group in front of him with horror.  
  
"This is where he ended up?" he asked, already knowing the answer.  
  
"It would seem so," they replied. "That was over five billion years ago according to your calendar."  
  
Jonny began to laugh. The sound wasn't a joyous one. Had he taken the time to listen to it, the sound would have sent chills down his spine. As it was, all he could do was stare at the so-called Guardians of the universe and revel on the irony of the situation. The Guardians, in an attempt to punish a transgressor for endangering their home, had ended up giving the transgressor the opportunity to destroy the very thing they were supposed to protect.  
  
Finally, his laughter abated and a bitter look entered his eyes.  
  
"When you hurled him to the unknown," Jonny said, "did you just forget about him? Did you dismiss him from your mind? After all, why worry about him? He wasn't your problem anymore, right? You made him the problem of another galaxy. In fact, you made him our problem here on earth."  
  
"It was not our intention--"  
  
"To. Hell. With. Your. Intentions," said Jonny. "The truth is, you all screwed up. You. All. Screwed. Up."  
  
He turned his back to them and staggered towards where Jessie and Hadji lay. He kneeled before them, tears clouding his vision. "This wasn't suppose to happen," he whispered. "This shouldn't have happened." He struggled against the lump that began to form in his throat. The booming sounds from above are louder now and he vaguely wondered at the situation above ground.  
  
He looked at Jessie's tranquil face. 'Stop her,' Jessie had said, meaning Jeanette. Meaning that damn creature of hate. 'Promise me,' she had said.  
  
Jonny stood up and faced the Guardians. "What do I need to do?" he asked.  
  
*********************************  
  
His form is too primitive to enter the opening  
  
*He must give his life in sacrifice as well in order to make use of his soul of light*  
  
. . .  
  
*Amazing that with all our powers, we must rely on these primitive species to stop the one thing we have no control over*  
  
The irony of it all  
  
**********************************  
  
"Will you be willing to sacrifice your life for this?" they asked him.  
  
Jonny closed his eyes, thinking of his father, of Race, of everyone. "Yes," he replied softly. "I'll fix this, Jessie," he whispered to himself.  
  
"Then so be it."  
  
**********************************  
  
Michael watched as the Guardians perform what they explained to him as a 'transference'. He still found it amazing that they were able to converse with him at the same time they were talking to Jonny. Not as amazing as the fact that he and Jonny had the missing ingredients for averting the destruction of the universe, but still worth mentioning.  
  
He looked back at the opening. It had glowed brighter by the second. Larger rocks were now falling from the ceiling. He was sure that had he had his physical form with him, one of those things would have hit him by now. He looked back at the opening. The same stirring he had felt when that creature opened that wall was back. Only this time, the stirring was stronger. It was as if it was calling on to him and warning him as the same time.  
  
Trying to dismiss it from his thoughts, he watched as the space around Jonny was disturbed. The distorted image of Jonny presented to him is the only clue he has as to what exactly is happening to the blond boy. Whatever it was, it doesn't seem to be causing him any pain. If his expression was anything to go by, Michael would say that the effect of the transference was very calming.  
  
He looked back to where Jonny had rested Jessie's body.  
  
There's another peaceful countenance, he thought. He glided towards her and kneeled when he felt a tugging in his consciousness. He looked at where the Guardians were and found a transparent Jonny, standing over his own body.  
  
"It is time," they said.  
  
He looked back to Jessie. Still peaceful and serene. Such a contrast to the chaos around him. 'See you in the other side,' he thought.  
  
He approached Jonny.  
  
**********************************  
  
They are prepared  
  
*Are they?*  
  
As well as they could be under the circumstances  
  
*Their world will be the one to suffer the most from this incident*  
  
It is the point of origin  
  
*It does not seem fair*  
  
Nobody said it was  
  
**********************************  
  
To say that Jonny was surprised to see Michael could be one of the biggest understatements of the year. However, he didn't dwell much on that development because of other matters. The moment he stepped out of his . . . himself, he had this feeling. He couldn't exactly describe it, but it's there, gnawing its way into his awareness. It's as if someone . . . something was calling to him, inviting. He looked towards the opening. An urgency made itself known to him.  
  
'It's coming from there,' he thought.  
  
Just then, a particularly violent rumble was felt beneath their feet.  
  
A crack began to form in the ground.  
  
"Are you both ready?" they asked, interrupting his observation of the opening.  
  
He nodded and saw Michael do the same.  
  
"Very well," they said.  
  
'Here you go, Quest,' he thought, 'you always did want to save the world.'  
  
Jonny felt a tingling within him. He looked at his transparent image and saw that a glow began to form around the edges of his form. He was shrinking, the glow becoming more dense as it begins to be concentrated on one point.  
  
That was the last thing he saw before he felt himself becoming a part of . . . everything. He can feel himself being drained and yet at the same time being energized. He couldn't explain it. It's like being a part of everything there is in the world and vice versa. Life flowed through him.  
  
'Funny,' he thought. 'I thought I was suppose to be sacrificing my life.'  
  
He could feel the life of the universe . . .  
  
Then nothing.  
  
JQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQ JQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQJQ  
  
The Epilogue: Restitution  
  
"The inner truth is hidden."  
  
Marlow from "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad  
  
This development was unexpected  
  
*We never did know too much about the thread itself*  
  
But to put everything back to the way it was before, only without his existence this time around?  
  
*Perhaps it is the thread's way of preserving the universe*  
  
It is as if he never existed  
  
*According to this timeline, he never did*  
  
Then why do we have the memory of him and the individuals who helped us?  
  
*Quirks of being a Guardian?*  
  
. . . .  
  
Do you think they remember?  
  
*Highly unlikely*  
  
********************************  
  
"Where's Jess?" asked Jonny as he noticed his friend's absence from the dinner table.  
  
"I believe she went to the movies tonight, Jonny," replied his father, Dr. Benton Quest.  
  
"Hey!" exclaimed Jonny. "Why didn't she take me and Hadji with her?"  
  
Race Bannon, Jessie's father and the Quests' long time friend and bodyguard coughed discreetly. "I don't think she would appreciate chaperones at this moment," he said.  
  
"Huh?" said Jonny and Hadji, Dr. Quest's adopted son.  
  
"He means," said Dr. Quest, "that Jessie is out on a date tonight."  
  
Race started choking.  
  
Benton couldn't help but add, "She and Michael probably wanted to be alone."  
  
Race was gagging.  
  
Benton snickered. It was so easy to bait Race sometimes. "Come on, Race," he cajoled. "You know it was bound to happen sometime . . ."  
  
"Yeah," retorted Race, " like when she's 30!"  
  
Meanwhile, Jonny was still trying to process the fact that Jessie was in a date with someone. Jessie was out there somewhere with some other guy besides him or Hadji. It was just too . . . too . . .  
  
"Weird," he said out loud.  
  
"What was that Jonny?" asked Hadji, talking for the first time.  
  
Jonny looked at his friend. "I'll tell you later," he said.  
  
All through dinner he brooded. For the past month, he had been in a somewhat constant state of confusion. Ever since Jessie arrived from Paris with her mother, in fact.  
  
He started to drift of . . . remembering that day in the airport when he caught himself.  
  
'Why do I feel as if I've done this before?' he thought. He looked around the dinner table and scratched his head.  
  
'Weird,' he thought. 'Definitely weird.'  
  
Hadji Singh sighed ( a lot of them had been doing that a lot lately ) and looked at his dinner companions. Jessie's absence and the reason for that absence were truly felt. There were subtle changes  
  
going on under the surface of everyone's normality and it all had to do with a certain flame-haired friend who is out on a date tonight.  
  
Not wishing to rock the boat further, he introduced a new topic. "So," he said. "Is everything ready for Estella's surprise birthday party?" he asked.  
  
Everybody started talking at once, and for a while, everything was back to normal.  
  
'Normal?' Hadji thought. There was something about this whole scene that was bothering him. He felt like he was on a dream. 'Deja vu?' he thought.  
  
Perhaps he heard someone answer somewhere.  
  
He looked around in wonder.  
  
He had a feeling that, deja vu or not, things are about to turn out for the better.  
  
THE END 


End file.
